Cajun Chicken and Rice Recipe

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4.70 from 10 votes

Cajun-seasoned chicken breasts and rice cook up on the stovetop in under 1 hour for an easy weeknight dinner idea!

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Total Time40

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 610kcal

Author: Becky Hardin

Ingredients

For the Chicken:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts *
kosher salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
2 tablespoons unsalted butter ¼ stick
1 tablespoon olive oil

For the Rice:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter ¼ stick
½ yellow onion diced
½ cup green bell pepper diced
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
1 cup long-grain white rice **
2¼ cups low-sodium chicken broth ***

Instructions

Season both sides of each chicken breast with salt, pepper, and Cajun seasoning.
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, kosher salt, 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning, ground black pepper
Melt the butter and oil in a skillet set over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken on both sides until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
To the same pan, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, onion, and green bell pepper and sauté until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and additional Cajun seasoning and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, ½ yellow onion, ½ cup green bell pepper, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
Add the rice and chicken broth and bring to a simmer.
1 cup long-grain white rice, 2¼ cups low-sodium chicken broth
Return the chicken to the pan, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is tender and fluffy.
Serve garnished with fresh lemon and parsley, if desired.

Video

Notes

*If needed, cut chicken breasts in half lengthwise, and/or pound them into thinner pieces to help them cook through quickly.

**For the best results, I recommend using long-grain white rice. You can certainly use brown rice, just note that brown rice takes a little bit longer to cook. Avoid using instant or microwaveable rice for this recipe.

***I recommend using low-sodium broth to avoid an overly-salty dish.

Tips:

I recommend rinsing your rice until the water runs clear to reduce starch and prevent a gummy texture.
Keep the lid on while the chicken and rice simmers, so you don't let any steam out.
Taste test the rice before you remove the pan from the heat! That way, you can tell if it's fully cooked or if it needs to be covered and cooked for a few more minutes.
If you would like to make Cajun chicken breasts without rice, season the chicken and cook on the stove for 5-7 minutes per side. Serve as desired.

Storage: Store Cajun chicken and rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Nutrition