Tender pieces of chicken covered in a spicy and flavorful Cajun Seasoning and cooked in the same pot as the rice and chopped bell peppers make this a perfect weeknight dinner. It’s simple. Easy to prepare. With only one pot, clean up is minimal.
When the weather get warmer I’m all about easy and simple meals. With the two boys in baseball and the youngest looking to get out and run around anywhere she can, we are looking for a good flavorful and quick meal. One of the best types of dishes to make – that isn’t a slow cooker meal – is a recipe that uses only one pot.
Spring baseball season is usually a three day a week commitment. Some days the boys have practice or games at the same time; sometimes it’s different nights so it seems like everyday of the week we are always at a field. Luckily we as parents both like baseball. However, it seems like this year the games have been cold and rainy and that annoying mist. I’m coming home just as muddy as the players…
This Cajun Seasoned Chicken and Rice recipe is a perfect weeknight meal. Like I mentioned earlier, it’s quick and easy to put together, plus the best part is that it’s pretty inexpensive. You probably already have a Cajun or Creole seasoning blend in your pantry, right? Besides the chicken, that’s the main ingredient.
For a while I was trying to come up with my own mix because as a New Orleans enthusiast and food blogger I felt like I HAD to have a recipe. But in the long run, for me atleast, I prefered the flavor of two brands: Slap Ya Mama and Tony Chachere’s. I think that they are the best two seasonings. Why stress myself out trying to make something that taste as good as theirs and buy all kinds of herbs and spices when I can just use one of those?
Do you prefer to make your own or to buy a pre-mixed blend? Let me know what’s your favorite seasoning brand is in the comments below.
Sometimes when we travel to New Orleans I’ll buy some off-the-wall named mixes just for the containers. For awhile there I was saving them. When my wife asked why do I have all these empty containers lined up on a shelf in the kitchen and I had to tell her, “just because“, I decided to pitch them. And do I regret that! Did you ever see the Punch Your Daddy brand? Those novelty brand seasonings I bought in NOLA aren’t cheap either.
I hope you enjoy this simple and flavorful Cajun Seasoned Chicken and Rice recipe. If you make it, let me know what you think of it in the comment section below, or on Facebook. If you haven’t done so already, follow me on the FB!
Easy Cajun Seasoned Chicken and Rice
Tender pieces of chicken covered in a spicy and flavorful Cajun seasoning and cooked in the same pot as the rice make this a perfect weeknight dish.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp Cajun Seasoning divided
- 1 lbs boneless chicken breast pounded to an even thickness
- 1/2 cup green bell pepper diced
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper diced
- 1 cup long grain white rice
- 2 cups chicken stock
- green onions for garnishment
Instructions
-
To be sure that the chicken is evenly cooked throughout at the end, make sure that the chicken pieces are roughly the same thickness. Season all of the chicken pieces with about 1-2 tablespoon worth of the Cajun Seasoning. Use your favorite brand. I've been using Slap Ya Mama.
-
In a large pot that has a lid, over MEDIUM-HIGH, pour in the olive oil and begin to cook the seasoned chicken pieces for about 5 minutes on each side. The chicken should be browned by this point. Remove from pot and set aside for a moment.
-
Reduce to the heat to MEDIUM-LOW and add the rice, bell peppers, chicken stock, and the remaining Cajun Seasoning to the pot making sure everything is well mixed together. Place the browned chicken pieces on top of the rice mixture, cover the pot, reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes or until all of the liquid has been absorbed into the rice.
-
To serve, place rice on a plate along with a piece of the Cajun Seasoned Chicken and top with chopped green onions. Enjoy!
Here’s How I Put Together This Cajun Seasoned Chicken and Rice Recipe:
Make sure that the chicken pieces are about the same in thickness. This will help them cook more evenly. Pat the chicken dry and season with your favorite Cajun seasoning blend. This time I used the Slap Ya Mama brand.
Place the seasoned chicken in a pot that has a cover, and with some olive oil, begin to brown the chicken on both sides.
Remove the chicken pieces, pour in the chicken stock, bell peppers, rice, and some extra Cajun Seasoning. Make sure everything is well mixed together.
Place the chicken back on top.
Cover the pot and let it simmer for 25 minutes or until all of the liquid has been absorbed into the rice. This pairs well with my Creole Style Green Beans.
Remove and set aside the cajun seasoned chicken pieces to plate up.
Fluff the rice with a fork and serve.
If you need a quick and easy and extremely flavorful meal, give this Cajun Seasoned Chicken and Rice recipe a try. After you do, be sure to come back and let me know what you think of it. Also, take a picture of it and tag me on your favorite social media site, I’d love to see it!
Thank you for reading!
If you enjoyed this article, please subscribe to the Red Beans & Eric Newsletter so you don’t miss a recipe, interview, or review. By signing up, I’ll send you a free e-cookbook that includes some of the most popular recipes from the website.
You can always stay in touch with me by leaving a comment in the section below, by clicking here or messaging me on any of the social media sites that I am on.
Thank you for stopping by!
Keep the red beans cookin’!
Eric
Eric Olsson is the food blogger of RedBeansAndEric.com. He publishes new recipes and interviews weekly. He has developed recipes and written articles for the famous Camellia brand in New Orleans, Louisiana. He has been mentioned in Louisiana Cookin‘ magazine and has had recipes featured in Taste of Home magazine – with his Creole Turkey recipe being runner up in their annual Thanksgiving recipe contest. He lives outside of Detroit, Michigan, with his wife and four children.
Leave a Reply