This chicken with Cajun seasoning recipe is a staple in our household. 100% keto friendly, it’s quick and easy to make, tastes great and is low-carb so you can have your filling meal and eat it too! This chicken is versatile too — for example, you can enjoy it over spaghetti squash or cauliflower rice.
easy cajun butter chicken breasts
tender and incredibly juicy cajun butter chicken breasts are easy to cook and deliciously succulent!
Our readers love quick and simple chicken recipes ready in an instant without marinating. The flavour lies in the best chicken seasoning! Just like our Creamy Garlic Chicken, or this Quick And Easy Herb Chicken, you’re going to love this recipe. And if that’s not enough, make a full flavoured magic sauce with pan juices in less than 5 minutes to drizzle all over your chicken!
chicken breast
Juicy boneless skinless chicken breasts cooked right on the stove is a dream come true! Forget dry breasts with this whopper of a recipe inspired by our Cajun Butter Steak Bites.
The best part is you don’t need much to make them, especially if you have Cajun seasoning on hand (just make sure you’re using a LOW SODIUM brand). If not? We’ve included the perfect quantity of Cajun you need for these chicken breasts.
Enjoy with a delicious side like buttery mashed cauliflower, mashed potatoes, crispy roasted potatoes, or a simple salad. You will LOVE this twist for chicken!
how to cook chicken breasts
A super quick recipe that packs a punch!
- You’re going to mix up your own simple Cajun seasoning. I find doing it yourself ensures the best flavour.
- Drizzle with oil to really rub the flavours into each fillet.
- Heat butter and oil in a pan: butter provides incredible flavour while oil allows you to sear at higher temperatures, allowing you to get a perfect sear without burning your pan or your grease.
- Sear your fillets in batches of two to avoid overcrowding your pan.
- Cook chicken breasts — untouched — on each side to give them time to get a crispy golden outer crust while sealing in juices.
- Once they’re cooked, let them rest for 5 minutes and proceed to use those leftover bits in the skillet to make the best pan juices!
tips
If using extra large or thick chicken breasts like I have pictured, slice 2 breasts in half lengthwise (horizontally) to create 4 fillets. This saves you from pounding them into an even thickness before cooking.
how to store cooked chicken breasts
Let chicken cool down completely before storing in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3 days, or use LEFTOVERS in a salad the next day.
can you freeze cooked chicken breasts?
Wrap with 2 layers of plastic wrap, then wrap with aluminium foil to create a secure seal. Freeze in a freezer bag for up to 2 months.
Cajun Chicken
Cajun Chicken Recipe that can be baked, pan fried or part of your healthy grill recipes. Lean chicken breast coated in easy homemade cajun seasoning for a healthy dinner idea with a lot of flavour.
If you love spicy chicken, try our delicious Instant Pot Jambalaya and chili lime chicken.
Cajun Spicy Chicken Recipe
You can never have too many easy chicken recipes like cilantro lime chicken, baked honey garlic chicken, and now this Cajun chicken. It can be baked, pan fried (or use the seasoning on your air fryer chicken breast or air fryer chicken tenders) and even grilled!
This Cajun chicken recipe with the best seasoning gives you a crispy browned crust on the outside and a tender juicy inside. Spices like oregano, thyme, paprika, and garlic powder, and a bit of added heat from the cayenne and red pepper flakes, make this a spice so flavorful that even your kids will love! You can adjust the amount of heat as you’d like.
Use it to make a spicy sandwich on a crusty bun, or enjoy leftovers cold in healthy pasta salad the next day!
Healthy Homemade Cajun Spice Mix
Anytime you’re making a homemade spice rub you’re avoiding all of the added sodium, preservatives, and junky additives you find in a store-bought package. It’s also way cheaper to make it at home which is always a bonus. I love keeping homemade spice mixes on hand, especially these 3 must have homemade spice recipes. It’s super convenient to be able to just grab and shake on all your chicken breast recipes or the kids love them on air fryer chicken drumsticks!
This homemade cajun spice is from Allrecipes.com and couldn’t be tastier. It’s almost as satisfying as spicy fried chicken. Almost! You can always use this butter lemon chicken coating as a base, add cajun seasoning to taste and pan fry.
Ingredients for this Recipe
Chicken: Boneless and skinless chicken breasts or thighs.
- Oil: Avocado, used for all methods. You can substitute olive oil if that’s what you like.
- Cajun Rub: Paprika. Garlic powder. Oregano. Thyme. Onion powder. Cayenne pepper. Ground black pepper. Salt. Red pepper flakes.
How to Make Cajun Chicken Breast
- Prep: Cut chicken breasts lengthwise into thinner cutlets and place in a large bowl. In a small bowl, add paprika, garlic powder, oregano, thyme, onion powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper, salt, and red pepper flakes; stir to combine.
- Season: Sprinkle 1 1/2 tbsp of the prepared Cajun seasoning mix onto the meat. Use tongs to toss the chicken around making sure all of it the pieces are coated. If you are going to grill or bake them, also add oil to the mix.
- Pan Fried Cajun Chicken: Preheat a large ceramic non-stick skillet on medium heat and swirl oil to coat. Add chicken and cook for 5 minutes or until white edges appear, turn and cook for another 4-5 minutes. It’s a thinner breast, so you don’t want to overcook it.
- Baked Cajun Chicken: Preheat the oven and arrange the chicken in a single layer in a large baking dish to bake. Remove from the oven, cover, and let rest for 10 minutes. See baked chicken breast for a video tutorial.
- Grilled Cajun Chicken: Preheat grill on medium-high heat (450-500 degrees F), place chicken on the grill, close the lid, and grill for 8-10 minutes turning once. Do not overcook. Remove from the grill, cover with foil and let rest for 5 minutes. See grilled chicken breast for a video tutorial.
- Serving: Spicy chicken goes very well with mashed sweet potatoes or classic mashed potatoes in the Instant Pot. And creamy cucumber salad will round out the meal nicely.
Tips and Variations
- Adjust the heat: If you find it a bit too hot and spicy, use less of the red pepper flakes and cayenne. Use more if you want it spicier!
- Different meat: This Cajun spice rub can be used for all kinds of protein. If you want to try other cuts of chicken, by all means. You can also use it for steak, grilled shrimp, and baked cod.
- Less salt: Some readers have found it a tad too salty. Adjust the salt to your liking.
- Air fryer: Along with baking, grilling, and pan-frying, others have enjoyed making the air fryer chicken. Try it out and let me know what you think.
- Don’t skip the oil: The oil helps the spice rub coat the chicken and permeate the meat. It also helps with non-sticking when grilling and baking.
- Pound to even thickness: When you cut the breast in half, you may not always get pieces that have an even thickness. If this is the case, you can pound the thicker parts down to get it even. This makes for consistent cooking.
Storing, Freezing, and Reheating
Store: Store in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container. Lucky you, you can have lunch for a week, add it to healthy cobb salad, delicious!
Freeze: If you’ve made lots and have cutlets leftover you can freeze them for up to 2 months in an airtight container.
Reheat: These chicken breasts are pretty thin, so reheating too many times may result in dry chicken. You can reheat in the same way you prepared them. Either that or keep it cold and use in a sandwich or a salad!
Cajun chicken
- Preparation and cooking time
- Prep:10 mins
- Cook:10 mins – 12 mins
- Easy
- Serves 4
A winner whatever the weather, chuck it on the barbie or just get the grill going – it can’t fail
- Easily doubled
- Easily halved
| Highlight | Nutrient | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| kcal | 190 | |
| fat | 5g | |
| saturates | 1g | |
| carbs | 2g | |
| sugars | 0g | |
| fibre | 0g | |
| protein | 34g | |
| low in | salt | 0.22g |
Ingredients
- 4 skinless boneless chicken breast fillets
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tsp dried onion flakes
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- 200g tub guacamole , to serve
Method
- STEP 1Dry chicken with kitchen paper, then cut diagonal slashes over the smooth side. Mix spices with seasoning, then tip onto a plate.
- STEP 2Brush the chicken on both sides with the oil, then coat all over with the spice mix. Heat a barbecue, griddle pan or grill, then cook the chicken for 5-6 mins on each side until cooked through. Serve each portion with a dollop of guacamole.