Cajun Chicken and Rice is a bold, one-pan dinner packed with smoky spices, tender chicken, and perfectly seasoned rice. This easy Cajun-inspired recipe brings Louisiana-style flavor to your kitchen using simple ingredients and minimal prep. This makes it perfect for busy weeknights or meal prep.
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Ingredients
What you will need for Cajun Chicken and Rice
This Cajun Chicken and Rice comes together with simple ingredients. Nothing fancy, just bold spices, fresh veggies, and pantry staples doing what they do best.
- Long Grain Rice - Fluffy, hearty, and perfect for soaking up all that Cajun goodness
- Chicken Stock - Adds deep, savory flavor to every bite
- Chicken Thighs (or chicken breasts) - Juicy, tender, and full of flavor
- Tony's Creole Seasoning - The star of the show with classic Cajun heat
- Paprika - Smoky and warm with just the right kick
- Minced Garlic - Because every great dish starts with garlic
- Bell Pepper - Sweet, colorful, and totally essential
- Onion - Builds that rich, savory base
- Lime - a bright squeeze to wake everything up
- Cilantro - Fresh, herby, and the perfect finishing touch
- Avocado - Creamy, cool, and balances the spice
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil - For sauteing and flavor-building.
- Black Beans - Hearty and filling with a subtle earthy bite
- Diced Tomatoes - Adds juiciness and a touch of acidity
How to make Cajun chicken and rice
- Dice onion and pepper, chop cilantro, mince garlic, zest and juice lime. Set aside.
- Mix your Tony's Creole Seasoning and your Paprika. Season your chicken with the mixture and set aside.
- Heat EVOO in a pot on medium/high heat. Once hot, sear chicken on both sides until 80% cooked. Remove from the pan and set aside. (You can also cover the chicken with a lid to speed up the cooking process after flipping)
- On medium/low heat, add chopped onion and pepper to the pan with a little oil and cook for 5-6 minutes (or until soft). Then, add in garlic and cook for 90 seconds.
- Add in rice and tomatoes. Stir around until ingredients are coated and mixed together well. Then, add in your chicken stock, cover, and cook for 15 minutes on medium heat. Slice chicken into bite-sized pieces while you wait.
- Remove the lid after 15 minutes (rice should be almost done - more similar to an al dente style). Add chicken and black beans to the pot. Season with more creole/paprika mixture, add in lime zest and lime juice (add salt and pepper if preferred). Mix and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and let it sit for 3-4 minutes. Top with sliced avocado and cilantro. Enjoy!
Equipment and supplies
This recipe is easy to make with just the right ingredients.
- Zester - For that fresh pop of lime zest that takes the flavor up a notch
- Measuring Cup - Because eyeballing is fun...but rice needs accuracy
- T Fal Pot - Your one-pot hero that gets the job done
- Sharp Knife - Makes chopping faster, safer, and way more satisfying
Serving ideas
Different ways to serve Cajun Chicken and Rice
- Classic Serving
- Straight from the pot, topped with the fresh cilantro, sliced avocado, and a squeeze of lime.
- Pair with warm cornbread or a simple green salad to balance the bold Cajun flavors.
- Serve Creamy Skillet Corn alongside for a cooling and comforting counterpoint to the spicy in the chicken and rice.
- Fun and creative serving ideas
- Cajun Bowl Night - serve cajun chicken and rice in bowls and let everyone customize their own. Set out toppings like avocado, extra cilantro, lime wedges, hot sauce, and sour cream. Easy and interactive.
- Cajun Rice Skillet - Bring the whole pot straight to the table and serve family-style. Rustic, cozy, and zero extra dishes. The best kind of serving ideas.
- Stuffed Pepper Style - Scoop Cajun Chicken and Rice into halved bell peppers and bake until warm and slightly blistered. It's colorful, fun, and feels a little fancy with minimal effort.
Recipe
One Pot Cajun Chicken and Rice
A blast of flavor with simple steps and enough food to feed a small crowd! Scoop, add toppings and enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ Cups Long Grain Rice
- 3 Cups Chicken Stock
- 4-5 Chicken Thighs or chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoon Tonys Creole Seasoning
- 2 teaspoon Paprika
- 1 ½ tablespoon Garlic minced
- 1 Bell Pepper diced
- 1 Onion diced
- 1 Lime juiced
- 2 tablespoon Cilantro chopped
- 1 Avocado sliced
- 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil EVOO
- 15oz Can Black Beans 15 oz
- 14.5oz Can Diced Tomatoes 14.5 oz with green chilis if preferred
Instructions
- Dice onion and pepper, chop cilantro, mince garlic, zest and juice lime. Set aside.
- Mix together your Tony's Creole Seasoning and your Paprika. Season your chicken with mixture and set aside.
- Heat up EVOO in a pot on medium/high heat. Once hot, sear chicken on both sides until 80% cooked. Remove from the pan and set aside. (You can also cover the chicken with a lid to speed up the cooking process after flipping)
- On medium/low heat, add chopped onion and pepper to the pan with a little oil and cook for 5-6 minutes (or until soft). Then, add in garlic and cook for 90 seconds.
- Add in rice and tomatoes. Stir around until ingredients are coated and mixed together well. Then, add in your chicken stock, cover and cook for 15 minutes on medium heat. Slice chicken into bite size pieces while you wait.
- Remove the lid after 15 minutes (rice should be almost done - more similar to an al dente style). Add chicken and black beans into the pot. Season with more creole/paprika mixture, add in lime zest and lime juice (add salt and pepper if preferred). Mix and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Turn off heat and let sit for 3-4 minutes. Top with sliced avocado and cilantro. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories: 530kcalCarbohydrates: 70gProtein: 33gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 93mgSodium: 271mgPotassium: 1.09mgFiber: 11gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 1.817IUVitamin C: 42mgCalcium: 86mgIron: 4mg
Tried this recipe?Rate it and let me know how it was!
Frequently Asked Questions
How spicy in Cajun chicken and rice?
This dish is made with a mild-to-medium heat. You can easily adjust the spice level by using more or less Cajun seasoning.
Can I make Cajun chicken and rice ahead of time?
Absolutely. Cajun chicken and rice store well and taste even better the next day, making it perfect for meal prep.
Is Cajun chicken and rice gluten-free?
Yes, this recipe is naturally gluten-free as long as your Cajun seasoning is certified gluten-free.
Chef Tim Clowers says
This recipe is very easy to make and taste fantastic!!
Darby Bunch says
This dish is so easy to make and I like it for meal prepping lunches. So So good
CookitwithTim says
Excellent idea Darby! You can even freeze it! 😉