This Cajun inspired low carb Jambalaya recipe is made with chicken, smoked beef sausage, black beans and cauliflower rice or cauliflower pearls.
I made this low carb version of Jambalaya for dinner a couple of weeks ago and we absolutely loved it! I had been toying around with the idea of making a low carb or keto Jambalaya dish for some time.
Cauliflower makes for a great substitute for rice, potatoes or even pasta dishes like macaroni and cheese.I’ve even used cauliflower to make pizza crust, cheese bread sticks and even mock potato salad. It’s become such a versatile food, plus it’s really good for you!
Health Benefits of Cauliflower
In fact, cauliflower is so good for you that it is considered a super food. Here’s some interesting reading on the health benefits of cauliflower (in case you’re interested)
- 8 Amazing Health Benefits of Cauliflower
- The Health Benefits of Cauliflower
- Everything You Need to Know About Cauliflower
- Top 8 Benefits of Cauliflower
You probably already know that cauliflower is an extremely healthy vegetable that is full of nutrients, that are not only weight loss friendly, but may reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer.
But, now back to how this recipe came to be.
Jambalaya for Campers
My husband and I vacation on the French River in Ontario, Canada every summer. We typically camp on an island called Four Mile Island. As you might imagine, it’s a primitive campsite and it’s absolutely amazing.
Have you ever noticed that even the simplest recipes taste amazing cooked over an open fire? Take garlic toast, for example! The first time I made garlic toast in a cast iron skillet over an open fire, my kids went crazy for it!
We used to eat a lot of prepackaged foods when we camped. Mostly for convenience sake because, like I said, our campsite is primitive. No electric. No running water. No washroom or showers. It’s more amazing than it sounds!
Anyway, one of our favorite dishes to eat while we’re camping is Zatarain’s Jambalaya. All we add is some canned meat and we have an amazing dinner. But, when we’re not camping and we have access to electricity, a refrigerator, stove and even running water, I prefer homemade dishes, like today’s low carb Jambalaya recipe.
Cajun Spice Seasoning
Before you get started on this low carb Jambalaya recipe, you might want to check out my Cajun Spice Seasoning recipe. You could, of course, use a store bought Cajun seasoning mix. However, I bet you already have all or most of these spices already on hand and can whip up your own Cajun spice seasoning mix.
What I especially love about it, besides the fact that it’s homemade, is that it contains no preservatives or ingredients you can’t pronounce. Plus, it also makes for a great gift. You can mix up enough Cajun spice seasoning mix for yourself and to gift.
Low Carb Jambalaya Recipe
Step 1: Preheat Oven and Prepare the Meat
Preheat oven to 375F. While the oven is pre-heating, prepare the chicken and sausage as follows. Trim any fat from the chicken breasts and cut into bite-sized pieces. For the sausage, cut in half lengthwise and then cut into bite-sized pieces.
I like to use my 3 qt cast iron skillet/dutch oven for preparing one pot meals like this low carb Jambalaya. So, drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil in the bottom of the skillet over medium heat and add the diced chicken and sausage to the pan. Cook until cooked through. My husband likes the chicken on the dry side, so I tend to cook it a little longer than necessary.
Step 2: Roast Cauliflower Pearls
Please note that you can use a head of cauliflower and rice it yourself in a food processor. However, you can also purchase riced cauliflower (sometimes called “cauliflower pearls”) in the produce section and the frozen vegetable section of your grocery store. For this recipe, I used one 16 oz. bag of cauliflower pearls that I purchased in my grocery store’s produce section.
If you’re making your own riced cauliflower, just be sure to take extra care to squeeze out all the water and to not over-process your cauliflower.
Simply spread the cauliflower rice out onto a non-stick baking pan and drizzle with a little bit of olive oil.
Then season with salt, pepper and a teaspoon of Cajun Spice Seasoning (you can find my Cajun Spice mix recipe here).
Toss or stir so the seasonings are evenly distributed and bake in a 375F oven for 10 minutes.
Step 4: Cook Vegetables
Remove chicken and sausage from the skillet. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet (still over medium heat) and add the onions and bell peppers. Cook until tender, about 7-8 minutes.
Add the 4 minced garlic cloves and paprika to the skillet, stirring to combine.
Add the chicken and sausage back to the skillet with the vegetables. Cook for 2 minutes.
Add the tomatoes. Note that you can use a can of diced tomatoes or diced tomatoes with green chiles, like Rotel. I used Rotel in my recipe.
Add one can of rinsed and drained black beans. Again, stirring to combine.
Step 5: Add the Roasted Cauliflower
Oh, man, we are so close to being done with this dish! All we need to do now is remove the cauliflower from the oven (if you haven’t already) and….
add it to the skillet with the meat and vegetables, stirring well to combine.
Be sure to add any additional Cajun seasoning and tobasco sauce (if using), to taste and stir to combine.
Step 6: Ready to Serve!
We love to top our Jambalaya with sour cream. When you’re ready to serve your low carb Jambalaya, simply add a dollop or two of sour cream to the top. The sour cream adds the perfect creamy richness to this Cajun spice dish!
Low Carb Jambalaya with Chicken, Sausage and Black Beans
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
- 4 tbsp olive oil divided
- salt
- black pepper freshly ground
- 2 tbsp cajun seasoning
- 16 oz bag cauliflower pearls (or rice)
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp spanish paprika
- 12 oz pkg beef smoked sausage
- 15 oz can diced tomatoes (or Rotel)
- 16 oz can black beans drained & rinsed
- Tobasco Sauce optional
- sour cream optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F.
- While the oven is heating, prepare chicken. Add 1 tbsp olive oil to a deep skillet over medium heat. Dice chicken breast into bite-sized pieces and add to skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Cut sausage links in half lengthwise and then into bite size pieces. Add to skillet with chicken and cook until cooked through.
- While chicken is cooking, place cauliflower on a nonstick baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt, black pepper and 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning. Toss or stir so that seasonings are evenly distributed and roast for 10 minutes.
- Remove chicken and sausage from skillet. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to the skillet and add the onion and bell peppers, cooking until soft – about 7-8 minutes. Keep heat at mediumAdd the garlic paprika, chicken and sausage to the skillet, cook 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, stirring to combine.Add the drained and rinsed black beans, stirring to combine.
- Remove cauliflower from the oven and add to the skillet with the meat and vegetables. Add additional Cajun seasoning and Tabasco sauce (optional) to taste.
- Top with sour cream!
Kitchen Tools Used in This Recipe
Below is a list of kitchen tools used in this recipe. Whenever possible, I’ve linked to the exact tools I used in making this recipe. Recipe Helpers
Make it Keto
This low carb Jambalaya just tastes amazing! All the flavors blend together so well and you get to control how little or how much seasoning you add to get the best results that your tastebuds prefer.
If you simply omit the black beans, then you have a keto friendly recipe. My husband likes the extra fiber and texture the black beans add to this Jambalaya recipe. Plus, he doesn’t need or want to to eat a Keto or very low carb diet.
The main point of this recipe is that you can roast cauliflower rice or pearls and use them as a substitute in all your favorite Cajun or rice dishes. Plus, the homemade Cajun Spice Mix is so easy to make. You put all this yummyness together and you’ve got one tasty dish!
If you have any questions about this recipe, please leave me a comment below and I’ll respond as soon as I can. If you happen to make this recipe, please share a picture on Instagram and tag me #thebirchcottage, so I’ll be sure to see!
Til next time…
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