Description
This healthy jambalaya meal prep is a lighter, protein-packed twist on the classic Louisiana dish, featuring lean chicken, turkey sausage, brown rice, and plenty of veggies. Perfect for meal prep, it’s big on Cajun flavor but low in calories and easy to customize for any diet.
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 8 ounces turkey sausage, sliced (reduced-fat or chicken sausage recommended)
- Optional: 1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, drained (fire-roasted optional)
- 1 cup uncooked brown rice
- 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (or avocado oil)
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Sliced green onions, for garnish
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
- Lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Prep all ingredients: Dice onion, bell peppers, and celery. Mince garlic. Cut chicken into 1-inch cubes and slice sausage. If using shrimp, pat dry and set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sausage, season with salt and pepper, and cook until chicken is just browned (about 4 minutes). Remove to a plate and set aside.
- In the same pan, add onions, bell peppers, celery, and garlic. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring often, until softened and fragrant.
- Stir in brown rice, drained diced tomatoes, Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, and cayenne (if using). Toss to coat evenly.
- Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and simmer for 25-30 minutes (check after 20 minutes if using white rice), stirring once or twice.
- If using shrimp, nestle them on top during the last 5 minutes of cooking until pink and opaque.
- Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Divide evenly into meal prep containers (about 1 1/2 cups per serving). Garnish with green onions and parsley. Let cool completely before sealing and refrigerating.
- Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over the top.
Notes
For a low-carb version, substitute cauliflower rice and stir in during the last 5 minutes of cooking. To make vegetarian, omit chicken and sausage and use beans and extra veggies with vegetable broth. Adjust spice level by reducing or omitting cayenne. Let cool before sealing containers to avoid soggy rice. The flavors improve after a day or two in the fridge.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Cajun
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 6
- Saturated Fat: 1
- Carbohydrates: 40
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 28
Keywords: healthy jambalaya, meal prep, low calorie lunch, cajun, chicken jambalaya, turkey sausage, brown rice, gluten free, easy lunch, high protein