Whether you’re celebrating Mardi Gras with one, two or a few, this is The Best Slow Cooker Jambalaya with Farro recipe. It is spicy, delicious and very filling. I could say you’ll feel it in your toes so be prepared to dance. I can already hear the music.
Have you ever been to New Orleans Louisiana? That’s the site of the famous Mardi Gras. If you have ever been there or seen pictures of it, you always see people playing music and dancing in the street. There is a reason folks. It’s because they just tried my Slow Cooker Cajun Jambalaya and are feeling it in their feet!
For real, I’ve been to New Orleans…in September. Oh, they were still in the party mood even though it was so hot and humid. There is music, food, and booze everywhere you turn. The vibe is electric and people are happy that you’re there.
That being said, I would never have the guts to go to New Orleans during Mardi Gras. I’m adventuresome, but even that would be over the top for me. There are so many people that I fear I would have a melt-down and I wouldn’t even begin to know how to keep up.
Jambalayas usually contain rice. I’m not a huge rice person unless it’s wild or brown rice so I used farro. The farro worked well because you can add it raw and it will absorb your cajun spices and not become mushy. It is one of our favorite whole grain for soups and all kinds of dishes.
Don’t have time to make it now? Pin it for later!
- 4 chicken bone-in chicken thighs skin removed
- 6 oz chicken Andouille sausage
- 1 lb shrimp shells removed and deveined
- 5 cups chicken stock
- 1-1/2 cup farro
- 1 onion diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1-14.5 oz diced tomatoes I used fire roasted
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 large jalapeno minced
- 2 or 3 tablespoons cajun seasoning purchased or homemade depending on heat tolerance.
-
EXCEPT for the shrimp, combine all of the ingredients into a slow cooker. Cook on high 4 hours or low for 6 hours, stirring occasionally. 15 minutes before serving stir in shrimp.
-
Remove bay leaves and serve.
-
Keeps in the refrigerator covered up to 5 days. Can be frozen.
Start with 2 tablespoons of cajun seasoning. You can always add more if you like it really spicy.
I’m celebrating Mardi Gras from home where a party of 1 or 2 or just a few is fine by me. I made this Cajun Jambalaya, and we loved it. It was spicy, delicious and very filling. I could say you’ll feel it in your toes so be prepared to dance. I can already hear the music.
Cooking it in the slow cooker you can get the party started before you even get home!
Here are a couple more Mardi Gras-worthy recipes!
Shrimp, Duck, and Andouille Gumbo
Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread
It’s always fun to share so let’s head over to Fiesta Friday!
Let’s keep in touch! You can find me on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter! Better yet, enter your email address in the box below and never miss a recipe!
Headed there in three weeks for our 4th visit – can’t wait! And this recipe looks perfect!
Thank you! Wow, Annie 4 times? What are your very favorite things to do? I’d love to go back and sure I will some day. It’s such an electric place.
This looks like real comfort food Julie. Jambalaya is one of my favorite Cajun dishes, how creative to use farro instead of rice. Delicious, I’m sure. 🙂
Thank you Jess! This recipe really had a kick that John loved, and I really liked how filling it was so I didn’t eat the whole pot! LOL.
Love how you incorporated farro- looks delicious.
Thank you Josette! I loved how easy it was and the way it came out too.
This looks so good! yumm
Thank you Lynn! It is really so easy and yumm! Have a wonderful day!
I love jambalaya and still have not cooked with farro! I’m always happy to get a slow cooker recipe. I’ve been to New Orleans and I love the city, it’s history and food especially. I don’t mind a lot of people but some of them are very unique in the way they dress and act. Mardi Gras? I know I could not handle it!
Thank you Judi! We love farro or spelt. We did a cemetery tour in New Orleans and I just loved it. They mix religion with superstition and it’s so interesting. Enjoy your day Judi and thank you for stopping by and leaving an “as usual” kind comment!
“YOU’LL FEEL IT IN YOUR TOES SO BE PREPARED TO DANCE” — that is no understatement, Julie! It looks and sounds mouthwatering. Now, to dance like nobody’s watching! 😀 Hugs.
Thank you, Teagan! I’m dancing with my dust cloth today LOL! Hugs to you dear girl!
Mmm! I could really go for a bowl of that jumbalaya.
Thank you, Jeff! I really look forward to it this time of year.
Fun, I have always wanted to go there. Delicious jambalaya Julie!
Thank you Antonia! I hope you get the chance to go there. It isn’t like any place else on earth. I will get back one of these days.
Love jambalaya and love your wee twist on the farro instead of rice. That’s a good recipe for Mardi Gras for sure Julie, I might just replicate your recipe. When we lived in Texas, we’d take a few trips to New Orleans, (a place that never sleeps). It was a 5 hour drive from where we lived in Texas. Whenever we crossed Baton Rouge, we broke out in song “busted flat in Baton Rouge, waiting for a train, feeling nearly faded as my jeans” LOL! We were there again last Fall with some friends from England, I’d never visited the plantation homes when we lived there, so was so happy to have had the opportunity last Fall. Thanks for sharing your recipe. Looking forward to this Sunday…we are invited to a Mardi Gras service at an Episcopal church Downtown….we were there last year too, you ought to have seen the singing, dancing and beads bobbing up and down. Looking forward to that again. 🙂
There is very little fat in this dish Loretta and we really loved it. It made so much that some of it’s in my freezer now.
I’d love to be in that car singing away with you Loretta. That sounds like so much fun as does that church service. I bet the revelry is hopping! I just love all of the history in that area. Since I was there for only a short time, I didn’t get to visit the plantation homes with the exception of going by some very unique homes in the New Orleans area as a part of a tour to one of their cemeteries. It was so interesting how they are religious and superstitious at the same time. It’s so very different than the midlands but I loved it!
I love the idea of making this in the slow cooker, as well as making it with farro which has a great flavor (and holds up). Yum!
Thank you, Caroline! It was so easy and yummy too. I don’t use my slow cooker enough this time of year.
What a fabulous recipe! Great on a cold day or whenever you crave something spicy and warming and really comforting. I have never come across chicken sausage, I’d be curious to know what sort of spices it has.
Thank you, Monika! I was really happy with the chicken sausage. it was very good and there wasn’t any fat on this dish as it cooled either.
In Italy we celebrate Mardi Gras too, kids have party in costumes and we a lot of specialties but these are mostly sweet receipts and deep fried ; ) but I would love having some of your dish, especially because it has farro in it! Thanks for being at FF!
Thank you, Margy. I’m really surprised that Italy celebrates Mardi Gras too but it doesn’t surprise me that it’s celebrated with fried sweets. I think 90% of the food in the south is deep fried. It’s good but so bad too. Thank you for hosting FF this week!
How delicious! I love jambalaya in a slow cooker, I usually use brown rice but what a great idea to use farro.
Thank you, Sarah! If I didn’t use farro I would definitely use brown rice because I love it too!