Creamy Cajun Chicken is a flavorful, one-pot dish that’s super easy to make! Cajun-seasoned, tender chicken breasts cooked to golden brown perfection are smothered in an irresistibly spiced cream sauce. Pair with mashed potatoes, pasta, or rice for a restaurant-quality dish you can make at home in less than 30 minutes!
This Creamy Cajun Chicken recipe is simple to make, can be ready in just about 20 minutes, and delivers restaurant flavor with little effort! The chicken is loaded with zesty spices and then pan-seared to create a charred, boldly seasoned exterior giving way to a tender, juicy interior. Finally, it’s smothered in a velvety, rich cream sauce flavored with Cajun spices, onions, and garlic. Serve with veggies, pasta, potatoes or rice for the perfect weeknight dinner!
Why you should make this recipe
- Quick & easy: There are only a few steps to get this creamy cajun chicken on your plate and it’s ready in less than 30 minutes! As an added plus, only one pan is necessary. That means clean-up is a breeze!
- Versatile: Serve as-is or with some roasted veggies for a simple, low-carb, protein-packed dinner. Or pair this dish with a starchy carb to soak up all that incredible sauce.
- So tasty: Wonderfully juicy, tender chicken nestled in a dreamy sauce with bold flavor is pure comfort food. It’s a tasty combination that you will absolutely love!
Ingredients needed
This cajun chicken recipe is made with simple ingredients, most of which you probably already have on hand. Here’s everything you’ll need:
- Chicken: Use two boneless skinless chicken breasts cut in half, lengthwise, to create four cutlets. Cutting them in half to make them thinner will help them cook quicker, more evenly and allow them to soak up more flavor.
- Cajun seasoning: The homemade cajun spice mix is used to season the chicken and the sauce. It’s an easy blend of paprika, garlic powder, onion powder (or flakes), cayenne pepper, oregano, thyme, salt, and black pepper.
- Olive oil & butter: For cooking the chicken and sautéing the onion and garlic.
- Onion & garlic: Gives the sauce a delicious savory flavor. Feel free to use red onion, yellow onion or shallots, if that’s what you have.
- Flour: All-purpose flour helps to thicken the sauce, so it’s nice and creamy.
- Milk: Use whole milk for a rich sauce that’s not overly heavy.
- Salt & pepper: To make all of the flavors really pop!
- Herbs: We like to garnish this dish with fresh parsley or thyme to add color and freshness.
How to make this recipe
- Season chicken: Add seasoning to both sides of the chicken breasts with 1 teaspoon of cajun seasoning. Set aside.
- Cook chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large heavy duty pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown on both sides and cooked through, about 4-5 minutes on each side. Remove the chicken from the pan and cover to keep it warm.
- Sauté onion and garlic: Melt another tablespoon of butter and another tablespoon of olive oil in the same pan and add the onion. Cook 3-4 minutes or until soft and tender. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Whisk in the flour, cooking for about 2 minutes while whisking constantly.
- Make cream sauce: Slowly whisk in the milk. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon of cajun seasoning and salt & pepper to taste. Simmer over low heat until slightly thickened while scraping all the brown bits off the bottom of the pan.
- Add chicken to sauce and serve: Add the chicken back to the skillet and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Spoon sauce over the chicken and garnish with fresh parsley or thyme, if desired.
Expert tips
- Prepping the chicken: It helps most types of proteins to cook more evenly if they are removed from the refrigerator about 15 to 20 minutes before you’re ready to start cooking. Also, be sure to pat the chicken dry with paper towels, so the spices stick better.
- Type of pan: Because we want the chicken to develop a crusty exterior of spices, it’s best to cook it in a heavy bottom pan such as a stainless steel or cast-iron skillet.
- Crispy bits: After the chicken has cooked, there will be caramelized brown bits on the bottom of the pan. These are super flavorful! Be sure to scrape up the bits to add extra flavor to the sauce.
Frequently asked questions
How to know when cajun chicken is done?
It’s important to know when the chicken is done because you definitely don’t want to overcook it and end up with dry chicken. The most precise way to check for doneness is to insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken; chicken breasts are done when they register 165 degrees F. If you don’t have a thermometer, cut into the meat and if the juices run clear, then the chicken is fully cooked. If the juices are pinkish in color, the chicken probably needs to be cooked a bit longer.
What to serve with creamy cajun chicken?
We love this served over a hearty base, like pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes; to soak up all that delicious sauce. And don’t forget the crusty bread for dipping! For a low-carb option try, mashed cauliflower, roasted cauliflower or air fryer Brussels sprouts. You could also keep things simple and light, and pair the cajun chicken with a fresh green salad.
Storage recommendations
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
More delicious chicken recipes
- Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken
- Creamy Garlic Chicken Pasta
- Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese
- Crispy Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings
Creamy Cajun Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in half lengthwise
- 2 teaspoons cajun seasoning
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup onion, minced
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Chopped fresh parsley or thyme
Instructions
- Season both sides of the chicken breasts with 1 teaspoon of cajun seasoning. Set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large heavy duty pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown on both sides and cooked through, about 4-5 minutes on each side. Remove the chicken from the pan and cover to keep it warm.
- Melt another tablespoon of butter and another tablespoon of olive oil in the same pan and add the onion. Cook 3-4 minutes or until soft and tender. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Whisk in the flour, cooking for about 2 minutes while whisking constantly.
- Slowly whisk in the milk. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon of cajun seasoning and salt & pepper to taste. Simmer over low heat until slightly thickened while scraping all the brown bits off the bottom of the pan.
- Add the chicken back to the skillet and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Spoon sauce over the chicken and garnish with fresh parsley or thyme, if desired.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What is recipe for Cajun seasoning, would love to make recipe
The cajun seasoning recipe is linked in the recipe box. Click on where it says “cajun seasoning” and it should take you to the page!