Cajun Chicken

Cajun Chicken is chicken breasts rubbed with Cajun seasoning and pan-seared, with browned and seasoned cremini mushrooms, all in a luscious creamy Cajun sauce made without heavy cream. Enjoy this flavorful dish over rice, pasta, mashed potatoes, or zoodles for a low-carb option.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.

• Cajun seasoning: The spice mix can be combined several weeks in advance and stored in an airtight container. For a shortcut, purchase prepackaged salt-free Cajun Seasoning.
• Chicken: Cut two large boneless, skinless chicken breasts in half lengthwise, creating four thinner chicken cutlets. Chicken thighs or chicken tenders also work well with this recipe. Keep in mind that chicken thighs need to cook a few minutes longer.
• Butter: Unsalted or salted
• Mushrooms: Cremini and white button mushrooms work with this recipe.

How to make Cajun Chicken

This is the summary version; for the complete list of ingredients and instructions, see the recipe card below.

First, combine the paprika, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and dried thyme in a small bowl. Reserve one teaspoon of the seasoning mix. Sprinkle the remaining seasoning over both sides of the chicken breast. Drizzle with a little bit of olive oil and rub it in. Let the rubbed chicken breasts rest while you clean and slice the mushrooms.

Heat a little olive oil and melt a little butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown on both sides and cooked through. Plate the chicken and cover it to keep it warm. Melt a couple more tablespoons of butter in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until golden brown, stirring several times. Reduce the heat to low and add the remaining Cajun seasoning and garlic. Cook for 1 minute while stirring continuously. Use a slotted spoon to plate the mushrooms and garlic.

There should be about 2 tablespoons of fat in the pan. If not, add enough butter and melt it to make up the difference. Over medium heat, whisk in the flour, cooking for about 2 minutes while whisking constantly. Then slowly whisk in about 2 cups of milk, depending on desired consistency. Simmer over low heat until slightly thickened while scraping all the delicious brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste.

Add the mushrooms, garlic, and chicken back to the skillet and simmer for a couple of minutes to warm. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley, cilantro, or thyme.

Preparation Tips and Storage

• Cook the chicken breast until golden brown and cooked through. Chicken is cooked through when an internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Instant-read meat thermometers are inexpensive and a real blessing in the kitchen. No one likes overcooked, dry chicken.
• Consider adding asparagus, spinach, or bell peppers. 
• If the sauce becomes too thick, add a little more milk or a couple of tablespoons of chicken broth.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave at reduced power.
• To freeze, cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat on the stovetop over low heat or microwave at reduced power.

What to serve with Cajun Chicken

I like to serve something warm and comforting that complements the flavor without competing with it, like mashed potatoes, rice, corn muffins, buttered pasta, roasted asparagus, southern-style green beans, or roasted potatoes. For dessert, I like to serve something with texture and fresh fruit, like peach crisp, blackberry crisp, or strawberry rhubarb crumble.

More Cajun Recipes

Dirty Rice

Cajun Shrimp Pasta

Shrimp Creole

Cajun Chicken Pasta

Shrimp Po Boy

Sausage and Rice

Cajun Chicken

Easy Cajun Chicken is bursting with tons of flavor from Cajun spices and golden brown cremini mushrooms, all in a luscious sauce made with a few simple ingredients. Serve it over rice, pasta, mashed potatoes, or zoodles for a low-carb option.

5 from 15 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: main meal chicken

Cuisine: Cajun

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 313kcal

Author: Beth Pierce

Ingredients

• 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut in half lengthwise
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 10 ounces cremini mushrooms
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk or 2% milk
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Chopped fresh parsley or thyme

Instructions

• In a small bowl, combine the paprika, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and dried thyme. Reserve 1 teaspoon of the seasoning mix. 
• Sprinkle the remaining seasoning over both sides of the chicken breast. Drizzle them with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil and rub it in. Let the rubbed chicken breasts rest while you clean and slice the mushrooms. 
• Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown on both sides and cooked through, about 4-5 minutes on each side. Chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Plate the chicken and cover it to keep it warm. 
• Melt 2 more tablespoons of butter in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until golden brown, stirring several times. Reduce the heat to low and add the remaining cajun seasoning and garlic. Cook for 1 minute while stirring continuously. Use a slotted spoon to plate the mushrooms and garlic. 
• There should be about 2 tablespoons of fat in the pan. If not, add enough butter and melt it to make up the difference. Over medium heat, whisk in the flour, cooking for about 2 minutes while whisking constantly. Slowly whisk in the milk. Simmer over low heat until slightly thickened while scraping all the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste. 
• Add the mushrooms, garlic, and chicken back to the skillet and simmer for a couple of minutes to warm. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley or thyme. 

Notes

• Cook the chicken breast until golden brown and cooked through. Chicken is cooked through when an internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Instant-read meat thermometers are inexpensive and a real blessing in the kitchen. No one likes overcooked, dry chicken.
• Consider adding asparagus, spinach, or bell peppers. 
• If the sauce becomes too thick, add a little more milk or a couple of tablespoons of chicken broth.

Nutrition

Calories: 313kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 476mg | Potassium: 758mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 911IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 185mg | Iron: 1mg

Did You Make This Recipe?Mention @smalltownwomanfoodnut or tag #smalltownwomanfoodnut!

On the hunt for more delicious recipes? Follow Small Town Woman on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.