If you’re looking for an easy family dinner that doesn’t leave you with a mountain of washing up afterwards, this easy Chicken and Chorizo Jambalaya is definitely worth adding to your meal plan.

It’s a simple one-pan dinner made with chicken, chorizo, peppers, rice and a tomato-based sauce, with garlic, chilli and paprika adding plenty of flavour.

This is very much our easy family version of jambalaya rather than a traditional Louisiana recipe. It’s designed to be straightforward, made with ingredients that are easy to pick up in a UK supermarket and, most importantly, something the whole family can enjoy.

Once everything is in the pan, you simply pop the lid on and leave the rice to cook. It’s exactly the sort of dinner I love on a busy weeknight.

Chicken and chorizo jambalaya served in a bowl

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Why You’ll Love This Chicken and Chorizo Jambalaya

There are plenty of reasons this has earned a place in our family meal rotation.

It’s a one-pan dinner – which means much less washing up afterwards.
It’s packed with flavour – chorizo, paprika, garlic and chilli work brilliantly together.
It’s filling – chicken and rice make this a proper family dinner.
It’s easy to adapt – particularly when it comes to the amount of chilli you use.
It’s great for busy evenings – once the liquid is added, most of the remaining cooking time is hands-off.
It uses everyday ingredients – there’s nothing particularly unusual or difficult to find.

An Easy One-Pot Family Dinner

One-pot meals are some of my favourites because they make life so much easier on busy days.

There are still a few stages to this jambalaya – including browning the chicken and giving the chorizo a chance to crisp up – but everything ultimately comes together in the same pan.

The chorizo is particularly important because as it cooks, it releases all that lovely flavour into the pan. The onion, peppers and rice then get to cook alongside it rather than everything being prepared separately.

And, of course, fewer pans means less washing up after dinner!

Chicken and Chorizo Are a Great Combination

Chicken breast works really well in this recipe because it takes on the flavours from the rest of the dish without overpowering them.

Chorizo brings much more flavour to the party. As it starts to crisp, it releases its oils and gives the whole dish that lovely smoky taste and colour.

I used 150g of diced chorizo with 400g of chicken breast, which gave us a good balance without the chorizo completely taking over the meal.

The red peppers add some sweetness and extra colour too.

Getting the Rice Right

The rice cooks directly in the pan with the chicken, vegetables, tomato and stock, so it has a chance to absorb all those flavours as it cooks.

I simmer mine with the lid on for around 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Cooking times can vary slightly depending on your pan, hob and the rice you’re using, so treat the timing as a guide rather than relying solely on the clock.

You want the rice to be properly cooked and the liquid absorbed, without allowing everything to catch on the bottom of the pan.

[FINISHED PAN IMAGE]

What Can I Serve With Chicken and Chorizo Jambalaya?

One of the nice things about this recipe is that you don’t really need to serve it with anything else.

You’ve already got chicken, chorizo, rice, peppers and onion all in one dish, which is another reason it works so well as an easy family dinner.

If you do want something alongside it, you could add a simple green salad, some crusty bread or extra vegetables.

For us, though, a generous bowl of jambalaya is plenty on its own.

Can I Make This Jambalaya Ahead of Time?

Personally, this is one I prefer freshly cooked, particularly because of the rice.

If you do have leftovers, cool them quickly and refrigerate them promptly in a suitable airtight container. Rice needs a little more care than many leftovers because improperly stored cooked rice can allow Bacillus cereus bacteria to grow.

When reheating, make sure the jambalaya is steaming hot all the way through and only reheat it once.

Can I Change the Vegetables?

Absolutely.

I use red peppers and onion because we enjoy them and they work really well with the chicken and chorizo, but this is an easy recipe to adapt to what your family will actually eat.

You could experiment with different coloured peppers or add some extra vegetables that need using up.

That’s often one of the best things about one-pan dinners – they’re useful for turning ingredients you already have into an actual meal rather than letting them go to waste.

More Easy Family Dinner Ideas

If you’re looking for more easy dinners to add to your family meal plan, you might also enjoy:

One-Pot Chicken and Chorizo Orzo – another simple one-pot chicken and chorizo dinner that’s perfect for a busy weeknight.

Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken – an easy, flavour-packed chicken recipe that can be served with rice, tacos or your favourite sides.

Easy Slow Cooker Sausage Casserole – a comforting family favourite that’s ideal when you want dinner to largely look after itself.

Slow Cooker Beef Stew and Dumplings – a classic hearty dinner that’s perfect for colder evenings.