When I create a keto-friendly version of a conventional dinner recipe, my main goal is to get the flavors and textures just right. My other goal is to make it simple enough for a weeknight, while also looking and tasting like it came from a restaurant. This Keto Jambalaya recipe marries these goals into one perfect low carb, high protein meal.
Classic jambalaya is heavy on the rice, but a simple switch to cauliflower rice turns it into a lighter, healthier option. And this recipe cooks everything together on one sheet pan, for simple preparation and easy clean up. It’s one of my favorite keto sheet pan recipes.
There’s so much flavor and nutrition in this simple dish. It brings together fresh veggies, spicy sausage, succulent shrimp and chicken, and zesty Cajun Seasoning. It’s a riot of tastes and colors, and it evokes memories of lazy evenings on the bayou. Even if you’ve never been on the bayou in your life!
Best of all, it meets with approval from the whole family. You know it’s a winner when that happens.
If you love Cajun flavors, try these Crispy Cajun Wings or Easy Shrimp Creole next!
Reader’s Thoughts
“Okay another winner Carolyn! we just tried your Sheet Pan Keto Jambalaya for dinner and it was delicious. Again I didn’t tweak the recipe, simply put it together following your recipe. There were a few prep steps, which I did earlier so I could just put it all together before dinner. My husband says “it’s a keeper.” I agree. Thanks so much Carolyn!” — Cathy B.
Why You Will Love This Easy Recipe
- Super simple! Did I mention this is easy? The hardest part is chopping up the veggies!
- High protein: This recipe packs in 30 grams of protein per serving, with less than 6 grams net carbs.
- Bursting with flavor: With andouille sausage and Cajun Seasoning, there’s flavor in every bite.
- Customizable: Not a fan of too much heat? Skip the jalapeño! Or use olive oil instead of butter for less saturated fat.
- Family-friendly: Even my kids gobble this one up without complaint.
Ingredient Notes
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs: You can also use chicken breast but they do cook faster and can dry out.
- Shrimp: Use peeled, deveined shrimp. You can leave the tails on or take them off.
- Sausage: I used andouille sausage, but any smoked sausage will work.
- Jalapeño: This gives the jambalaya an extra kick, but you can skip it if you don’t want it spicy.
- Cauliflower rice: You can use frozen or raw cauliflower rice.
- Butter: You can also use extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil.
- Vegetables: Red and green bell pepper, tomato, and celery.
- Seasonings: Paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano leaves, dried thyme, cayenne, salt and pepper.
How to Make Keto Jambalaya
- Prep the meat and veggies: Place the chicken thighs, sausage, peppers, celery, and jalapeño on a large sheet pan. Drizzle with butter and Cajun seasoning. Toss to combine well.
- Bake once: Bake for 12 minutes.
- Add the remaining ingredients: then top with the cauliflower rice, tomatoes, and shrimp. Drizzle with the remaining butter and Cajun seasoning.
- Bake again. Bake for another 10 minutes, then broil it for a few minutes. Toss everything together once more before serving.
Carolyn’s Tips for Success
Cut the ingredients into even bite size pieces: The allure of a one-pan meal like jambalaya is that everything is cut up ahead of time, so it’s easy to simply dig in! Cutting them up evenly means they will cook more evenly.
Cook the chicken, sausage, and peppers first: These ingredients take longer to cook through, so roast them first before adding the cauliflower rice and shrimp.
Make your own Cajun seasoning: Store bought Cajun seasoning can contain a number of additives and sugars, but it’s easy to make your own with some basic spices and herbs. If you do want to purchase it, I recommend Slap Ya Mama Cajun seasoning, which has great flavor and no questionable ingredients.
Broil lightly at the end: This gives the shrimp that lovely browned look that’s so deliciously appealing!
Easy Keto Jambalaya Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb (453.59 g) boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 12 ounce (340.2 g) andouille, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1 red pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 green pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 stalks celery, sliced
- 1 jalapeno, minced
- 1/4 cup (56.75 g) melted butter, divided
- 3 tbsp (21.3 g) Cajun seasoning, divided
- 12 ounces (340.2 g) cauliflower rice, frozen, thawed
- 1 medium tomato, chopped
- 1 lb (453.59 g) shrimp
Homemade Cajun Seasoning
- 1 1/2 tbsp paprika
- 1 1/2 tsp coarse salt
- 1 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp cayenne
- 1/4 tsp dried oregano leaves
- 1/4 tsp dried thyme
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Place the chicken thighs, sausage, peppers, celery, and jalapeno on a large (11×17 inches or larger) rimmed sheet pan. Toss to combine.
- Drizzle with half of the melted butter and sprinkle with half of the Cajun seasoning. Toss again to combine well. Bake 12 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and top with the cauliflower rice, tomatoes, and shrimp. Drizzle with the remaining butter and Cajun seasoning – no need to toss together at this point.
- Bake another 10 minutes, then turn on the broiler and broil 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from the oven, toss to combine all of ingredients, and serve hot.
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
Classic jambalaya contains a lot of rice, so it’s not appropriate for low carb or keto diets. But cauliflower rice is a great alternative. And it makes the dish come together even faster and more easily!
This recipe actually makes great leftovers that reheat quite nicely. I ate the last serving the following day for lunch. The jambalaya can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
This Keto Jambalaya recipe has 8.7g of carbs and 3.0g of fiber per serving. That comes to 5.7g net carbs per serving.
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
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This is a winner! I will be making it again.
I think this would be great on the Blackstone! Excited to give it a try. Thank you for all your wonderful recipes!
We loved this! Delicious! Only thing I added was 6 ounces red onion and 2 extra tablespoons butter. Oh and I had Not Ya Momma’s Cajun seasoning that I used. (Zero everything). This will be my go to.
Love what I’ve tried on this site!
Thank you!
This was truly amazing! Perfect spice level, perfect everything. I have yet to have one bad recipe from Carolyn! I am always amazed!
We loved this so much!!! Absolutely delicious. Thanks for another great recipe.
So I made this for dinner today! Because hubby cannot stand cauliflower in any form (and isn’t doing keto), I made rice for him and did my “rice” separately. I also messed up a little in the jalapeño lol. I had bought some freeze dried and couldn’t find on the bottle how much to measure for one. Let’s just say, it was quite spicy, lol!
But it was delicious, even though it required a lot of beverage to put the fire out! ???? And I will definitely make it again! Thank you so much!!
Oh dear, glad you enjoyed it anyway!
I love your recipes! You have helped me stay on track with my weight loss. I’ve lost 29 pounds since Oct. Sheet pan meals are so easy and I can’t wait to try this one! Thank you for sharing your recipes!
Congrats on your weight loss!
This is fantastic! It tastes like it’s a lot more difficult to make than it is. Just right enough spice. Thank you!
Beyond fabulous. In these days of Covid, DH and I are doing one date night a week where we choose a recipe to cook together. This was tonight’s date. So much better than going out to a restaurant and tap dancing around their menu. I think your next venture should be a chain of restaurants that cater to low carbers. How tough would this dish be to do with rice or cauli-rice? One caveat, we did add 1/2 yellow onion chopped. Can’t do Cajun without onion IMO. The phytonutrients are worth the carbs.
I love that! We do a date night once a week too, at home. Steak is usually on the menu. Much less expensive than a steak house!
Wow! This really exceeded my expectations!
Is the chicken and sausage cooked beforehand?
No, it’s cooked all together on the pan.
Really good and really spicy! I’ll definitely make this again, but will cut back on the cayenne pepper when making the seasoning. I love your sheet pan meals.
I don’t see shrimp listed in the recipe.
It’s there, right at the bottom of the first section.
Wonderful flavor, easy, a little spicy for me but did adapt to it quickly. Will add it to a monthly regime. Thanks so much.
Third or fourth time I’ve made this! You know it’s a good recipe when you want to make it over and over. Love the flavors and the easy preparation. Used a can of Rotel instead of a fresh chopped tomato and purchased Cajun seasoning.
This had just the right balance of veggies and dleicious meat! Thank you for this flavorful and keto appropriate meal!