Jambalaya

A low FODMAP jambalaya of chicken thighs, smoked sausage, shrimp, green bell pepper, diced tomatoes, and rice with smoked paprika, oregano, and thyme.

Prep 20 min

Cook 40 min

Serves 4

Gluten-freeDairy-free

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons garlic-infused olive oil
• 1 lb (450g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
• 6 oz (170g) low-FODMAP smoked sausage, sliced (a plain smoked pork or chicken sausage labeled gluten-free, with no onion, garlic, inulin, chicory root, honey, high-fructose corn syrup or milk ingredients)
• 8 oz (225g) raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 medium green bell pepper, diced (about 120g total, roughly 30g per serving)
• 6 scallions, green tops only, sliced (reserve some for garnish)
• 1/2 cup (about 95g) canned diced tomatoes (keep total under 100g)
• 1 1/2 cups (300g) long-grain white or jasmine rice, rinsed until the water runs clear
• 2 3/4 cups (660ml) low-FODMAP chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• Salt, to taste

For the Cajun blend (no onion or garlic powder):

• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, to taste

Instructions

Season and brown the proteins

1. Stir the Cajun blend ingredients together in a small bowl. Toss the chicken pieces with about half of the blend and a pinch of salt.
2. Heat the garlic-infused oil in a wide, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned on the outside, about 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
3. Add the sliced sausage to the same pan and cook until the edges brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Move it to the plate with the chicken.

Build the base

1. Lower the heat to medium. Add the diced bell pepper and scallion greens and cook until softened, about 3 minutes.
2. Stir in the diced tomatoes and the remaining Cajun blend and cook for 1 minute so the spices bloom.
3. Add the rinsed rice and stir to coat it in the oil and spices, about 1 minute.

Simmer and finish

1. Pour in the chicken broth and return the browned chicken and sausage to the pan. Stir once, bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer.
2. Cover and cook, without stirring, until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, about 18 to 20 minutes. The chicken should reach 165°F (74°C).
3. Nestle the shrimp on top, cover again, and cook until they are pink and opaque, about 5 minutes.
4. Remove from the heat and let it sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork, taste for salt, and top with parsley and the reserved scallion greens.

Tips & Substitutions

• Read the sausage label. Most andouille and smoked sausages list onion and garlic near the top. Use a certified low-FODMAP sausage or a plain, gluten-free smoked sausage with none of the ingredients listed above.
• Skip boxed stock. Bottled broths almost always contain onion and garlic. A homemade low-FODMAP chicken broth keeps the dish clean, or check labels closely if you buy one.
• Hold the tomato line. Keeping canned tomatoes to about 1/2 cup for the whole pot keeps each serving under the tested amount. If you want to adjust, look up canned tomatoes in the FODMAP Foods app to see how the rating changes with portion size.
• Dial the heat. Cayenne carries most of the punch. Start at 1/4 teaspoon, then add more after tasting rather than up front.
• Swap the protein. Use all chicken for a similar total weight, cooked the same way. For all shrimp or firm white fish, simmer the rice without protein, then add the seafood for the last 5 to 8 minutes, until shrimp is opaque and fish flakes at 145°F (63°C).
• Stir once, then leave it. Stirring cooked rice releases starch and turns jambalaya gluey. Stir when the broth goes in, then keep the lid on.

Why This Works

• Garlic-infused oil, not garlic bulb. The fructans in garlic are not oil-soluble, so the infused oil carries the flavor without the FODMAPs that garlic cloves would add.
• Scallion greens replace onion. The green tops of scallions are low FODMAP, while the white bulbs hold the fructans, so this uses greens only.
• Rice is a reliable base. Plain white rice is low FODMAP at the amount used here, so it makes an easy one-pot starch.
• Capped tomato and pepper. Canned tomatoes and green bell pepper are low FODMAP in the amounts used here; larger servings of each can add up, so the recipe keeps both modest.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days, and reheat with a splash of broth or water to 165°F (74°C). Cooked shrimp turns rubbery when reheated, so warm the dish gently. You can freeze the chicken-and-sausage version for up to 2 months; for the best texture, add freshly cooked shrimp after reheating rather than freezing it in the pot.