Description
Spicy Cajun Chicken brings Louisiana’s soulful spirit to your dinner table with bold, zesty flavors that dance across each tender bite. Pepper-packed seasoning and quick searing create a restaurant-quality meal home cooks will crave.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 10 ounces (285 grams) Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies, juice reserved
- ¾ cup cheddar jack cheese, shredded
Sauce and Seasoning Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- ¾ cup heavy cream (or substitute with half and half)
- 3 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar (light)
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
Cooking and Garnish Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1–2 tablespoons olive oil (or avocado oil)
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
- Lime wedges
- Fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Prepare the protein by slicing chicken breasts lengthwise into thinner portions, ensuring uniform thickness through gentle pounding with a meat mallet.
- Season each chicken slice thoroughly with Cajun spice blend, then dust lightly with flour, massaging the seasoning evenly across both surfaces.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high temperature, adding a thin layer of cooking oil to create a perfect searing environment.
- Sear chicken pieces individually, developing a golden-brown crust on each side, approximately 4-5 minutes per surface. Transfer seared pieces to a separate plate.
- Deglaze the skillet using reserved tomato liquid, carefully scraping accumulated browned bits to intensify the flavor profile.
- Introduce minced garlic and butter to the skillet, allowing aromatics to release their fragrant essence for roughly one minute.
- Incorporate flour into the skillet, stirring continuously to eliminate raw flour undertones and create a smooth base for the sauce.
- Gradually pour prepared sauce mixture into the skillet, whisking consistently to prevent lumps and ensure seamless integration.
- Bring sauce to a vigorous boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer, allowing liquid to condense and thicken over 5-7 minutes.
- Slowly incorporate shredded cheese, stirring until completely melted and seamlessly blended into the sauce.
- Add lime juice for a subtle brightness, then reintroduce seared chicken pieces to the skillet.
- Simmer uncovered, spooning sauce over chicken to ensure complete flavor saturation, approximately 4-5 minutes.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro and lime wedges, serving immediately alongside complementary sides like rice or beans.
Notes
- Searing locks in the chicken’s juiciness, creating a golden-brown crust that traps incredible flavor.
- Deglazing the skillet with reserved tomato juice transforms simple browned bits into a rich, complex sauce base.
- Finishing the dish with fresh lime and cilantro adds bright, zesty notes that elevate the entire Cajun-style meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Cajun
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 510
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 37 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg