Creamy Cajun Chicken
Creamy Cajun Chicken combines lightly breaded chicken with a creamy sauce that includes parmesan cheese, tomatoes, and cajun spices. A simple dinner that is impressive at the same time! Serve this over rice or pasta, with a side of veggies!
Winner winner chicken dinner! Need more ideas? Try my Parmesan Chicken Orzo Skillet, Stuffed Buffalo Chicken Breasts, or a Classic Chicken Piccata!
Cajun Chicken Breast
Can we ever have too many chicken recipes? I think not! I’m constantly trying new things because chicken is 1) fairly inexpensive, 2) everyone likes it, and 3) it’s a lean protein. Adding cajun spices and tomatoes is the perfect combo, and we REALLY loved this recipe!
I always have chicken in my freezer for a last minute meal. It freezes well, and makes a great weeknight meal. In addition to this one, we love it in many forms.
Chicken Recipes to try next
Here are a few chicken recipes for you to try next, and so many others on the blog. Go to the search bar and type in “chicken”!
- Roll-Ups – Try my original Creamy Jalapeño Stuffed Chicken or my Stuffed Buffalo Chicken Breasts for a delicious meal.
- Soups – We love soup, and I’m a huge fan of this Chicken Tortilla Soup or a healthy Anti-Inflammatory Chicken Ginger Soup.
- Salads – My Crunchy Curry Chicken Salad is a favorite here, as well as this Grilled Chicken Cobb Salad (with a delicious Honey Mustard Dressing).
- Grilled – Let’s grill up a Smoked Spatchcock Chicken with Blackened Seasoning or some easy Grilled Chicken Skewers!
Ingredients Used:
- Chicken – Use three chicken breasts, or two pounds.
- Flour – All-purpose flour is used to thicken this dish.
- Cajun Seasoning – I used store-bought seasoning, but you could definitely use your own blend.
- Olive Oil – Any oil will work here, but I used extra-virgin olive oil to brown the chicken.
- Butter – Unsalted butter adds extra flavor in this dish.
- Tomatoes – Two cups of cherry tomatoes and two cans of diced tomatoes makes the best sauce!
- Milk – One cup of milk helps to thicken the sauce as well. Use at least a 2% milk (no skim!).
- Parmesan Cheese – Parmesan cheese is a staple in my kitchen, and it makes the sauce nice and creamy! Skip the powdered version and use a wedge of parmesan (and then shred it)!
- Rice – You can use any type of rice, or serve it over pasta or sautéed veggies.
I tested this with feta cheese in addition to parmesan cheese as well. Both versions were delicious!
Butterflying is a technique used to make a thick piece of meat thinner, which makes it quicker to cook. It also allows for more even cooking.
How to make Creamy Cajun Chicken
Step 1
Prepare chicken. Butterfly the chicken breasts and slice in half. Combine the flour and cajun seasoning in a bowl, and dip the breasts in the mixture coating both sides.
Step 2
Brown the chicken. Heat up a large cast iron skillet to medium-high heat. Add olive oil and then three thin chicken breasts to the pan. Brown both sides of the chicken and cook until they are close to being done, approximately 10-12 minutes. Remove and repeat with the remaining three breasts.
Step 3
Make the sauce. To the empty pan, add the butter until melted, scraping the bottom of the pan to release all those bits. Add the flour/spices that weren’t used for breading the chicken, and stir until well absorbed. Then add the diced (canned) tomatoes and the fresh tomatoes and bring to a boil. After a few minutes, add the milk and reduce heat to a simmer. When the sauce is thickened a bit, add the parmesan cheese and stir to melt.
Step 4
Finish the chicken. Place the browned chicken back in the skillet and cook for a few more minutes, until warmed and completely cooked through. Check to make sure the chicken is 160 degrees on a digital thermometer. It should carry-over cook after removing, and come to about 165 degrees for safe consumption.
Step 5
Serve. Serve the chicken over rice, pasta, or sautéed veggies. Add a few spoonfuls of sauce, and finish with some freshly ground black pepper.
Expert Tips
Here are few things you should know before making this delicious cajun chicken!
- Make sure the chicken is fairly uniform in size. You’ll want to butterfly the chicken breasts, especially if they are large. Make sure the chicken is pretty even in size.
- It’s fine to use store-bought cajun seasoning. I know you can make your own cajun seasoning, but store-bought is fine (and delicious)!
- The sauce is key. I love the sauce and it’s nice to have extra. The sauce might soak up into the rice, so having more than less is optimal!
- Use a digital thermometer to check for doneness. Use a digital thermometer when cooking the chicken. You’ll want to cook it to at least 160 degrees when browning, and then finish off in the sauce.
- Serve it over rice, pasta, or a variety of veggies (for that low-carb option). We love this over rice, but the sky is the limit!
Craving more cajun? Try our Cajun Chicken Sausage Pasta next!
Kitchen Tools Used: (affiliate links)
xoxo ~Sue
Creamy Cajun Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 pounds chicken breasts – three breasts, butterflied and cut in half
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2-3 Tablespoons cajun seasoning
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper – to taste
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes – halved
- 30 oz. fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 cup whole milk
- 4 oz. parmesan cheese (plus more to serve) – freshly grated
- rice or pasta – to serve
Instructions
- Prepare chicken. Butterfly the chicken breasts and slice in half. Combine the flour and cajun seasoning in a bowl, and dip the breasts in the mixture coating both sides.
- Brown the chicken. Heat up a large cast iron skillet to medium-high heat. Add olive oil and then three thin chicken breasts to the pan. Brown both sides of the chicken and cook until they are close to being done, approximately 10 minutes. Remove and repeat with the remaining three breasts.
- Make the sauce. To the empty pan, add the butter until melted, scraping the bottom of the pan to release all those bits. Add the flour/spices that weren’t used for breading the chicken, and stir until well absorbed. Then add the diced (canned) tomatoes and the fresh tomatoes and bring to a boil. After a few minutes, add the milk and reduce heat to a simmer. When the sauce is thickened a bit, add the parmesan cheese and stir.
- Finish the chicken. Place the browned chicken back in the skillet and cook for a few more minutes, until warmed and completely cooked through. Check to make sure the chicken is 160 degrees on a digital thermometer. It should carry-over cook after removing, and come to about 165 degrees for safe consumption.
- Serve. Serve the chicken over rice, pasta, or sautéed.veggies. Add a few spoonful of sauce, and finish with some freshly ground black pepper.
Notes
- Make sure the chicken is fairly uniform in size. You’ll want to butterfly the chicken breasts, especially if they are large. Make sure the chicken is pretty even in size.
- It’s fine to use store-bought cajun seasoning. I know you can make your own cajun seasoning, but store-bought is fine (and delicious)!
- The sauce is key. I love the sauce and it’s nice to have extra. The sauce might soak up into the rice, so having more than less is optimal!
- Use a digital thermometer to check for doneness. Use a digital thermometer when cooking the chicken. You’ll want to cook it to at least 160 degrees when browning, and then finish off in the sauce.
- Serve it over rice, pasta, or a variety of veggies (for that low-carb option). We love this over rice, but the sky is the limit!
Keep it simple works well for me. Thank you! 9 ingredients is something that I can handle and also tastes amazing.