This spicy, satisfying Jambasta recipe is a fun fusion of classic jambalaya and pasta—originally inspired by a throwback Rachel Ray recipe that still holds up today! I swap in low-carb penne to keep it lighter, but the dish is packed with all the bold flavors you would expect from traditional jambalaya.
You’ll find the usual suspects: green bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, and a generous dose of Cajun seasoning. It all comes together with a hearty mix of chicken, shrimp, and smoky sausage to deliver that signature Southern flavor.
Whether you’re craving comfort food with a kick or something new for your weeknight rotation, this dish brings the heat—and the fun. Let the good times roll!
Ingredients
1 lb. low-carb penne pasta (I used Dreamfield’s)
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 smoked sausage or andouille sausage, sliced into rounds
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 poblano pepper, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 onion, chopped
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 Tbsp. Carbquik or other low-carb baking mix
1 cup low-carb beer, such as Budweiser Next, Heineken Silver, or Eight
1 cup chicken broth
1 14-oz.. can crushed tomatoes
2 Tbsp. hot sauce
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
1/2 lb. chicken breast, cooked and diced
1/2 lg shrimp, cooked, peeled, deveined and tails removed, cooked
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 green onion, thinly sliced
Instructions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and boil the pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse.
Heat oil in a large skillet. Brown the smoked sausage or andouille sausage for about 4 minutes. Remove and set aside.
Add the garlic, poblano peppers, red pepper, celery and onion. Cook and stir for about 5 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper. Them add the Carbquik and stir for a couple of minutes.
Whisk in the beer and cook until it evaporates about 2 minutes.
Add the broth, tomatoes, hot sauce and thyme.
Bring to a boil and stir in the chicken and shrimp. Cover and cook about 5 minutes until the cooked chicken and shrimp is heated through. Alternatively, you could add raw chicken and shrimp and cook for about 7 minutes until the chicken is cooked and the shrimp is opaque. Cooking these ahead of time saves a small amount of time.
Stir in the heavy cream and pasta. Heat through.
Add the sausage to the pot and stir.
Ladle the Jambasta into bowls and garnish with green onions.
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Jambasta
Equipment
- Measuring spoons
- 1 knife
- 1 measuring cup
- 1 large pot
- 1 colander
- 1 large skillet
- 1 Large spoon
Ingredients
- 1 lb. low-carb penne pasta I used Dreamfield’s
- 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 smoked sausage or andouille sausage sliced into rounds
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 poblano pepper chopped
- 2 celery ribs chopped
- 1 onion chopped
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 Tbsp. Carbquik or other low-carb baking mix
- 1 cup low-carb beer such as Budweiser Next, Heineken Silver, or Eight
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 14- oz. can crushed tomatoes
- 2 Tbsp. hot sauce
- 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
- 1/2 lb. chicken breast cooked and diced
- 1/2 lb. shrimp cooked, peeled, deveined and tails removed, cooked
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 green onion thinly sliced
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Add salt and boil the pasta according to package directions.
- Drain and rinse.
- Heat oil in a large skillet.
- Brown the smoked sausage or andouille sausage for about 4 minutes.
- Remove and set aside.
- Add the garlic poblano peppers, red pepper, celery and onion.
- Cook and stir for about 5 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the Carbquik and stir for a couple of minutes.
- Whisk in the beer and cook until it evaporates, about 2 minutes.
- Add the broth, tomatoes, hot sauce and thyme.
- Bring to a boil and stir in the chicken and shrimp.
- Cover and cook about 5 minutes until the cooked chicken and shrimp are heated through. (Alternatively, you could add raw chicken and shrimp and cook for about 7 minutes until the chicken is cooked and the shrimp is opaque. Cooking these ahead of time saves a little time.)
- Stir in the heavy cream and pasta.
- Heat through.
- Ladle the Jambasta into bowls and garnish with green onions.
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