Whip up this flavorful Cajun Chicken and Rice in just 30 minutes – it's all done in one pan. It's bursting with flavor and requires minimal ingredients. This one-pan wonder infuses tender chicken and fluffy rice spiced up with the bold flavors of Cajun cuisine. Pair it with a cool and creamy Greek yogurt coleslaw, or your favorite salad and a squeeze of fresh lemon for a perfectly balanced meal.
This Cajun chicken and rice skillet recipe is a lifesaver for hectic weekends! Looking for similar one-pan chicken and rice dishes? You may like this: One-Pan Chicken Fajita Rice, Mexican Chicken and Rice, and Mediterranean Chicken and Rice.
![close-up of cajun chicken and rice in a skillet.](https://theyummydelights.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/cajun-chicken-rice-recipe.jpg)
Watch the recipe video
![YouTube video](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/TXZMdBP12K4/hqdefault.jpg)
This one-pan Cajun chicken and rice recipe comes together with just a handful of ingredients you probably already have. You'll need Cajun seasoning, rice, chicken, bell peppers, and celery.
This one-pot wonder makes cleanup a breeze. Just throw everything in one pot, and let the Cajun seasoning work its magic. Craving more Cajun flavors? Don't miss our recipes for Cajun grilled chicken sandwich and Cajun Chicken Pasta.
Ingredients Notes
Here's what you'll need to make this spicy chicken and rice recipe. For the detailed list of ingredients & their measurements, please check out the recipe card below.
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs work great here.
- Oil: I used olive oil for its neutral flavor, but any neutral oil will do.
- Cajun Seasoning: The Cajun seasoning can be store-bought or make your own using the recipe in the recipe card notes.
- Lemon Juice: For a tangy twist, substitute lemon juice with vinegar.
- Rice: I used basmati rice here, but any kind will work – just adjust the water according to the package instructions.
- Vegetables: Red onions add a nice bite, but feel free to swap them for white or yellow. Bell peppers are optional, but I love the pop of color from red and green. Get creative and add other veggies you have on hand, like carrots, broccoli, or frozen peas.
- Herbs: Chopped cilantro adds a bright note, but parsley or basil is a great option as well.
What is Cajun Seasoning?
Cajun seasoning is a spice blend originating in Louisiana, USA, which beautifully spices up this cajun chicken and rice skillet. It typically features a combination of ground spices, including
- Cayenne pepper: It is spicy but is usually balanced by other ingredients in the seasoning. You can customize the heat of Cajun seasoning by increasing or decreasing cayenne pepper.
- Smoked paprika, thyme, and oregano: add a depth of flavor that grounds the spice and creates a truly satisfying experience. In addition to this, salt & pepper are added to enhance flavors.
- Garlic and onion: These savory notes add a familiar comfort and round out the overall taste profile.
Is Cajun seasoning spicy? It has a decent kick but is not that spicy. You can customize the heat with homemade seasoning. That's why I love whipping up my own Cajun seasoning blend for a customizable kick, but a good store-bought option works just fine too! Check out my recipe for homemade seasoning in the recipe card notes.
How to make Cajun Chicken And Rice
- Marinate chicken: Combine chicken, cajun seasoning, lemon juice, and olive oil. Marinate for 30 minutes to an hour in the fridge.
- Cook chicken: Heat oil, and sear chicken in batches (3 min/side). Set aside.
- Sauté vegetables & add spices: Add more oil, if needed, and sauté onion until translucent. Add peppers & celery (cook 2-3 min). Stir in Cajun seasoning, cook 1 min.
- Combine rice & cook: Stir in rice, cook 1 min. Add water/broth. Bring to a boil, add the cooked chicken on top then simmer covered for 20 min. Let stand covered for 10 min (fluffs rice).
- Serve: Garnish with cilantro (optional). Serve with lemon wedges and salad (optional).
Scroll down for detailed step-by-step instructions and photos below the recipe card.
What to serve with this Chicken and Rice?
You can serve this one-pot Cajun Chicken Rice with salad and lemon wedge. Here are a few other suggestions:
- Creamy Macaroni Salad, Asian Slaw, or this Greek Yogurt Coleslaw
- Corn Salsa or Mango Salsa
- Creamy Corn Salad or Grilled Corn Salad
More chicken and rice recipes that you may like
- Lemon Chicken and Rice
- Mediterranean Chicken and Rice
- Spinach Chicken and Rice
- One Pot Chicken and Rice
- Cilantro Lime Chicken and Rice
- Southern Chicken and Rice
- Tomato Chicken and Rice
If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and a starred review below.
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One Pot Cajun Chicken and Rice
Equipment
- Heavy bottom pan with a lid
Ingredients
To marinate the chicken
- 500 gram boneless chicken breast cut into 1 inch cubes
- 2 tablespoon Cajun seasoning (recipe to make cajun seasoning in the notes)
- 1.5 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon oil
To pan fry the chicken
- 1 tablespoon oil
To make Cajun Chicken rice
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 1 green bell pepper chopped
- 1 stalk celery diced
- 1 teaspoon garlic finely chopped
- 2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning or add it as per your taste
- 1.5 cups uncooked basmati rice
- 3 cups water/broth
- cilantro coriander leaves
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken: In a mixing bowl, combine the chicken, Cajun seasoning, lemon juice, and olive oil. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Prepare the vegetables and rice: While the chicken marinates, chop the onion, garlic, bell peppers, and celery (if using). Set aside. Rinse the basmati rice in cold water 3-4 times until the water runs clear. Soak it in water for 30 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
- Cook the chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces in a single layer (you may need to cook in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan). I cooked the chicken in 2 batches. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side, or until lightly browned. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside on a plate. The chicken need not to be completely cooked at this stage. We will cook it later.
- Sauté the vegetables and add the seasoning: In the same pan, add a little more oil if needed. Sauté the onion until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the bell peppers and celery (if using), and cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until softened. Stir in cajun seasoning and cook for one minute, allowing the flavors to mingle.
- Add rice: Stir in the rinsed basmati rice and cook for 2 minutes, coating the rice grains with the flavorful oil. Pour in the 3 cups of water/broth. Let it come to a boil. Now taste the liquid and adjust the seasoning (if needed add more salt or seasoning).
- Cook the rice and chicken: Reduce heat to low, cover the pan, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the rice and chicken are cooked.
- Rest and serve: Remove the pan from heat and let it sit covered for an additional 10 minutes. This allows the rice to finish absorbing the remaining liquid and fluff up nicely. Fluff the rice with a fork before serving. Garnish with chopped cilantro (optional) and serve with lemon wedges and a side salad, if desired.
Video
![YouTube video](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/TXZMdBP12K4/hqdefault.jpg)
Notes
- For homemade Cajun seasoning: In a small mixing bowl combine: 2 tablespoon paprika, 2 tablespoon garlic powder, 2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 2 tablespoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 tablespoon salt, and 2 teaspoon ground black pepper.
- Marinate the chicken for maximum flavor and moisture for 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator. This will increase the flavor and keep the chicken moist inside while pan-frying. (For Busy Cooks): If short on time, marinate for 30 minutes.
- Pan-fry the chicken for crispy perfection. Heat the pan on high heat. When hot, add chicken pieces. High heat sears the surface, locking in juices for a crispy exterior and juicy interior.
- Don't overcrowd the pan. Fry chicken in batches to achieve char marks for a smoky flavor. The chicken doesn't need to be fully cooked at this stage.
- Bringing out the rice's flavor - Toast the rice for 2 minutes after adding it to the pan. This releases a nutty aroma and enhances the dish's overall flavor.
- Cooking perfect rice: Correct rice-to-water ratio is crucial. Adjust water based on rice quality. For 1 cup of rice generally, we use 2 cups of water. For different brands of rice follow the package instructions for quantity of water.
- Enhance the flavor by using chicken broth instead of plain water.
- After cooking, let the pan sit for 10 minutes. The rice absorbs moisture from the bottom, resulting in fluffier grains.
- Adjust Cajun seasoning to your taste preference. Use more for spicier, less for milder.
- Cajun seasoning contains salt, so be cautious when adding additional salt to the recipe.
- Storage Suggestions:
-
- If you are planning to store the leftovers, store them within 2 hours of cooking.
- Let it come to room temperature. Transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate. Stays good for 3 days. For a longer shelf life freeze it. It stays good for a month.
Step-by-Step Instructions With Photos
1) Marinate the chicken: In a mixing bowl, combine the chicken, Cajun seasoning, lemon juice, and olive oil. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour.
![marinating the chicken with cajun seasoning, lemon juice and oil to make cajun chicken and rice.](https://theyummydelights.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/cajun-chicken-and-rice-step-1.webp)
2) Prepare the vegetables and rice: While the chicken marinates, chop the onion, garlic, bell peppers, and celery (if using). Set aside. Rinse the basmati rice in cold water 3-4 times until the water runs clear. Soak it in water for 30 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
3) Cook the chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces in a single layer (you may need to cook in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan). I cooked the chicken in 2 batches. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side, or until lightly browned. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside on a plate. The chicken need not to be completely cooked at this stage. We will cook it later.
![pan-frying the chicken to make cajun chicken and rice skillet.](https://theyummydelights.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/cajun-chicken-and-rice-step-2.webp)
4) Sauté the vegetables and add the seasoning: In the same pan, add a little more oil if needed. Sauté the onion until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the bell peppers and celery (if using), and cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until softened.
![sauteing vegetables to make one pot chicken and rice.](https://theyummydelights.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/cajun-chicken-and-rice-step-3.webp)
Stir in cajun seasoning and cook for one minute, allowing the flavors to mingle.
![addition of Cajun seasoning to the sauteed vegetables.](https://theyummydelights.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/cajun-chicken-and-rice-step-4.webp)
5) Add rice: Stir in the rinsed basmati rice and cook for 2 minutes, coating the rice grains with the flavorful oil.
![sateting rice with vegetables in the pan.](https://theyummydelights.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/cajun-chicken-and-rice-step-5.webp)
Pour in the 3 cups of water/broth. Let it come to a boil. Now taste the liquid and adjust the seasoning (if needed add more salt or seasoning).
![addition of water to cook rice in the pan.](https://theyummydelights.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/cajun-chicken-and-rice-step-6.webp)
Add chicken back to the pan.
![addition of chicken to the pan.](https://theyummydelights.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/cajun-chicken-and-rice-step-7.webp)
6) Cook the rice and chicken: Reduce heat to low, cover the pan, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the rice and chicken are cooked.
![simmering the cajun chicken and rice in a pan.](https://theyummydelights.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/cajun-chicken-and-rice-step-8.webp)
7) Rest and serve: Remove the pan from heat and let it sit covered for an additional 10 minutes. This allows the rice to finish absorbing the remaining liquid and fluff up nicely. Fluff the rice with a fork before serving. Garnish with chopped cilantro (optional) and serve with lemon wedges and a side salad, if desired.
![picture of cajun chicken and rice in the pan. Garnished with cilantro.](https://theyummydelights.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/cajun-chicken-and-rice-step-9.webp)
Storage suggestions
- If you are planning to store the leftovers, store them within 2 hours of cooking.
- Let it come to room temperature. Transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate. Stays good for 3 days.
- For a longer shelf life freeze it. It stays good for a month.
- Always label the container with the date of preparation.
- Before consuming always check if there is any foul smell or signs of spoilage like black spots or mushy rice. If there are any such signs immediately discard them.
- To reheat - If frozen, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator. Sprinkle some water over it, stir, and heat it on low heat until it is hot or its internal temperature reaches 165ºF (75ºC).
Variations that you can try
- You can add any vegetables of your choice like carrots, frozen peas, etc.
- You can substitute chicken with any other protein like tofu, lamb, etc.
- For a low-carb option use quinoa, couscous, or even cauliflower rice.
- Add some crisp fried bacon to it.
- Make Cajun Shrimp and rice - You can add shrimp instead of chicken.
Shreya
Tasty
Aditi
Made it. Tastes amazing.
Preeti
Glad you liked it.