I made this skillet Cajun Chicken with an award-winning cream sauce and a kick, and I tucked in a surprising twist that puts it right at the top of my easy chicken dinner recipes.
I stumbled on this Cajun chicken by accident and now I make it all the time. Sliced chicken breasts get seared quick and bathed in a rich heavy cream sauce that somehow has a serious kick, you’ll be surprised.
It’s the kind of meal that feels special but takes hardly any brain power, so yeah, it’s my go-to on busy nights. If you ever search for Cajun Chicken Healthy ideas or scroll through Easy Chicken Dinner Recipes, this dish always pops into my head first.
Try it once and you’ll be sneaking spoonfuls of that sauce when no one is looking.
Ingredients
- chicken breasts: Lean protein that fills you up, helps muscle repair, low in carbs
- Cajun seasoning: Spicy blend adds heat and smoky flavor, mostly herbs and salt
- olive oil: Healthy fat, heart friendly, helps cook chicken without drying it out
- butter: Adds richness and smoothness, but used sparingly for flavor and calories
- onion: Sweet when cooked, adds fiber and layers of savory flavor to dish
- red bell pepper: Crisp, slightly sweet, full of vitamin C and color, milder heat
- garlic: Punchy aroma, small amount boosts flavor and may aid immunity
- heavy cream: Makes sauce creamy and rich, high fat so use modest portions
Ingredient Quantities
- 1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced into strips
- 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning (store bought)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- About 2 cups cooked white or brown rice, for serving (or more if you’re hungry)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or sliced green onions, for garnish (optional)
How to Make this
1. Pat 1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts dry and slice into strips, toss with 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning plus a little salt and freshly ground black pepper, let sit 5 minutes.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium high heat until the butter foams, add chicken in a single layer and cook 3 to 4 minutes per side until browned and cooked through, don’t overcrowd the pan do batches if you must, transfer chicken to a plate.
3. Add 1 medium yellow onion thinly sliced and 1 red bell pepper thinly sliced to the same skillet, cook 4 to 5 minutes until softened, add 3 minced garlic cloves for the last 30 seconds.
4. Pour in 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth and scrape up browned bits from the bottom of the pan to deglaze.
5. Stir in 1 cup heavy cream, bring to a gentle simmer, lower heat to medium low and let it bubble for 3 to 5 minutes so it starts to thicken.
6. Add 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese and stir until melted and smooth, taste and adjust seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper and more Cajun seasoning if you want a bigger kick.
7. Return the chicken and any collected juices to the skillet, spoon sauce over the strips and simmer 2 to 3 minutes to heat through and let flavors marry.
8. Turn off the heat, let the pan sit a minute so the sauce settles, then serve the Cajun chicken over about 2 cups cooked white or brown rice.
9. Garnish with 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or sliced green onions if you like, and if the sauce is too thin simmer a bit longer, if too thick add a splash of chicken broth.
Equipment Needed
1. Large heavy skillet, about 12 inch if you have one, stainless or cast iron works best
2. Cutting board
3. A good sharp chef’s knife
4. Measuring spoons plus a 1 cup measuring cup
5. Tongs and a slotted spatula to turn the chicken
6. Wooden spoon or heatproof silicone spatula to scrape and stir the sauce
7. Box grater or microplane for the Parmesan
8. Plate or shallow bowl to rest the cooked chicken and catch juices
9. Small whisk or fork to help smooth the cream and cheese
FAQ
Cajun Chicken Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Chicken breasts: swap for boneless skinless thighs (juicier, cook a bit longer), or shrimp (cuts total cook time), or firm tofu (marinate well and sear for a veg option).
- Heavy cream: use half and half plus 1 tbsp butter to mimic richness, or full fat coconut milk for dairy free, or whisked Greek yogurt thinned with a splash of milk (don’t boil or it may split).
- Parmesan cheese: replace with Pecorino Romano or Asiago for similar salty nutty flavor, or nutritional yeast if you need dairy free (taste will be a bit different so adjust salt).
- Cooked rice: try cooked quinoa for more protein, or pasta like penne or linguine to make it a creamy cajun pasta, or cauliflower rice for a low carb version.
Pro Tips
– Pat the chicken totally dry and slice so the pieces are about the same thickness, or pound them thin. If strips are even they cook the same and wont dry out, slice against the grain for more tender bites.
– Get the pan really hot and dont overcrowd it, sear in batches if you need to. That brown crust is flavor, and if the pan is too full you just steam the chicken.
– Be gentle with the cream, heat it to a low simmer not a rolling boil and add the Parmesan off the high heat so it melts smooth. If the sauce starts to look grainy or breaks, lower the heat and whisk in a splash of broth or a little cold cream to bring it back together.
– Use the fond, dont wipe the pan clean. After the chicken cooks scrape up the browned bits when you add the broth, thats where most of the flavor is. If the sauce is too thin reduce it over medium low, or for a quick fix whisk in a tiny cornstarch slurry to thicken.
Cajun Chicken Recipe
I made this skillet Cajun Chicken with an award-winning cream sauce and a kick, and I tucked in a surprising twist that puts it right at the top of my easy chicken dinner recipes.
4
servings
711
kcal
Equipment: 1. Large heavy skillet, about 12 inch if you have one, stainless or cast iron works best
2. Cutting board
3. A good sharp chef’s knife
4. Measuring spoons plus a 1 cup measuring cup
5. Tongs and a slotted spatula to turn the chicken
6. Wooden spoon or heatproof silicone spatula to scrape and stir the sauce
7. Box grater or microplane for the Parmesan
8. Plate or shallow bowl to rest the cooked chicken and catch juices
9. Small whisk or fork to help smooth the cream and cheese
Ingredients
-
1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced into strips
-
2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning (store bought)
-
1 tablespoon olive oil
-
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
-
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
-
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
-
3 garlic cloves, minced
-
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
-
1 cup heavy cream
-
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
-
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
-
About 2 cups cooked white or brown rice, for serving (or more if you're hungry)
-
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or sliced green onions, for garnish (optional)
Directions
- Pat 1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts dry and slice into strips, toss with 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning plus a little salt and freshly ground black pepper, let sit 5 minutes.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium high heat until the butter foams, add chicken in a single layer and cook 3 to 4 minutes per side until browned and cooked through, don’t overcrowd the pan do batches if you must, transfer chicken to a plate.
- Add 1 medium yellow onion thinly sliced and 1 red bell pepper thinly sliced to the same skillet, cook 4 to 5 minutes until softened, add 3 minced garlic cloves for the last 30 seconds.
- Pour in 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth and scrape up browned bits from the bottom of the pan to deglaze.
- Stir in 1 cup heavy cream, bring to a gentle simmer, lower heat to medium low and let it bubble for 3 to 5 minutes so it starts to thicken.
- Add 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese and stir until melted and smooth, taste and adjust seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper and more Cajun seasoning if you want a bigger kick.
- Return the chicken and any collected juices to the skillet, spoon sauce over the strips and simmer 2 to 3 minutes to heat through and let flavors marry.
- Turn off the heat, let the pan sit a minute so the sauce settles, then serve the Cajun chicken over about 2 cups cooked white or brown rice.
- Garnish with 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or sliced green onions if you like, and if the sauce is too thin simmer a bit longer, if too thick add a splash of chicken broth.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 450g
- Total number of serves: 4
- Calories: 711kcal
- Fat: 46.4g
- Saturated Fat: 25g
- Trans Fat: 0.1g
- Polyunsaturated: 3g
- Monounsaturated: 12.5g
- Cholesterol: 243mg
- Sodium: 610mg
- Potassium: 655mg
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 1.7g
- Sugar: 2.5g
- Protein: 61g
- Vitamin A: 2000IU
- Vitamin C: 50mg
- Calcium: 175mg
- Iron: 2.8mg
