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This creamy Cajun chicken recipe has juicy, golden pan-fried chicken in a boldly seasoned cream sauce. It’s ready in just 30 minutes for an easy, elegant meal!
Craving another restaurant-worthy chicken dish at home? Try my Creamy Tuscan Chicken next.
Why you’ll love it
This Cajun-inspired chicken recipe has a bit of kick, but I wouldn’t describe it as too spicy or anything! It’s all about warm flavors with a zing. I can’t resist bringing you more really simple yet special skillet chicken recipes.
Cajun seasoning is so versatile, but this might be my favorite recipe I’ve come up with that features it. It’s bright and zesty but mellowed by the cream and parmesan, resulting in a beautiful sauce for the tender chicken. Quick, tasty, and impressive? You bet.
What you’ll need
- Chicken – we’re using two boneless, skinless chicken breasts sliced in half lengthwise to cook faster and more evenly
- Garlic powder – to infuse more flavor right on the chicken cutlets
- Cajun seasoning – I use Tony Chachere’s no-salt seasoning
- Flour – for dredging to get a nice crust on the chicken and thicken the sauce a touch
- Butter and olive oil – for pan frying
- Garlic – for more savory goodness
- Sun-dried tomatoes – I find the ones packed in oil are the best for a pop of juicy tomato flavor
- Chicken broth – the base of the sauce
- Heavy cream – for that luxurious quality
- Parmesan – a dusting of cheese tops it all off!
Pro tip
- For this particular recipe, I used a salt-free Cajun seasoning because many Cajun seasonings are quite salty and could ruin the recipe with the amount that’s required. I strongly recommend going with a low or no-salt variety.
What is Cajun seasoning?
- If you’re wondering what’s in Cajun seasoning, it usually contains garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, onion powder, cayenne pepper, thyme, oregano, red pepper flakes, and salt. It’s easy enough to make your own (try this Homemade Cajun Seasoning), but I usually go with Tony’s for convenience.
How to make Cajun chicken
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Cut the chicken breasts lengthwise to make the four cutlets, season them with garlic powder, some of the Cajun seasoning, and salt & pepper, coat in flour, and fry until golden brown. Take out and set aside on a plate.
To the skillet, add the chicken broth, garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes. Let it bubble, then reduce the heat and stir in the cream. Add the remaining Cajun seasoning.
Return the chicken to the pan, and cook it through as the sauce thickens a bit. Sprinkle on the parm or stir right into the sauce. Give it a taste, and add salt & pepper if it needs it. Garnish with parsley if desired.
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- Chicken is safe to eat (and not overcooked!) at 165F. An instant read thermometer is an inexpensive way to ensure it’s perfect.
- A chef’s knife is a handy tool for cutting the chicken.
- Use a block of parmesan for maximum freshness and taste, and grate it with this grater.
Substitutions and variations
- You could make it spicy beyond the kick it has by adding a pinch of cayenne pepper or some red pepper flakes.
- If you’re really not a fan of sun-dried tomatoes, you could chop up a fresh tomato instead.
- I wouldn’t recommending substituting the heavy cream for something else. It’s only been tested as written, and you’re liable to end up with a sauce that separates or simply doesn’t taste as good!
What to serve with creamy Cajun chicken
- For a starch, try serving it over pasta or with rice. My Crockpot Mashed Potatoes are a great option too, or try my Roasted Red Potatoes.
- My Easy Roasted Brussels Sprouts or Easy Glazed Carrots make good vegetable sides to offset the richness.
- Want a salad? I think you’ll like my Lemon Tahini Dressing to change it up.
Leftovers and storage
- It’s best fresh, but the standard 3-4 days in the fridge for leftovers of this chicken recipe will be just fine.
- Reheat in a saucepan on the stove for best results. Try a low heat and slowly so it doesn’t dry out.
- I don’t suggest freezing leftovers of this one because of the cream.
If you give this easy Cajun chicken recipe a go, leave a star rating and review below! You can also ask any questions the blog post didn’t answer. As always, tag me #saltandlavender on Instagram with your creations.
Creamy Cajun Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 large chicken breasts
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon + 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning (use a no or low salt variety)
- Flour for dredging
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Cut the chicken in half lengthwise so you have four thinner cutlets. Sprinkle them with salt & pepper, garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of the Cajun seasoning. Coat them in flour.
- Add the butter and oil to a skillet over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the chicken. Cook it for 4-5 min/side or until it's nice and golden. Take the chicken out of the pan and set it aside.
- Add the minced garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and chicken broth to the pan. Let it bubble for about 30 seconds or so.
- Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the cream and remaining 1 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning.
- Add the chicken back into the pan and cook for another 5 minutes or so, until the sauce is thickened a bit and the chicken is cooked through. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese over top (or stir it into the sauce). Season with salt & pepper as needed and serve immediately.
Notes
- There’s quite a bit of Cajun seasoning in this recipe, so I strongly encourage you to use one without salt because the recipe will be way too salty otherwise. I used Tony Chachere’s No Salt Creole Seasoning.
- I used oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes and drained the oil prior to adding them to the pan.
- If you have smaller chicken breasts, you can leave them whole, but you may need to cook them a little longer.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This recipe was originally published on January 9, 2020. It’s been updated with new photos and better instructions but is the same great recipe!
Delicious! I used a little less of the cajun seasoning in the sauce because I’m a baby about spiciness. So good though! Made this with egg noodles and pan-fried asparagus. My boyfriend is typically picky about creamy foods but he really enjoyed this.
I’m so happy it was a hit, Abbey!
WOW !!! Made this the other night, bloody well outstanding !
Now to make it for guests.
That’s what I like to hear! Wonderful! 🙂
I wanted the Cajun base of the recipe, but I was feeling Shrimp instead of chicken! Substituted shrimp for chicken, followed all other aspects of your recipe and had it with fettuccine, it was amazing! No left overs! Love your recipes!
That’s a great idea!! I think salmon would work well too. So happy you like my recipes! 😀
Could you sub half and half for heavy cream? I love it, but my tummy…not so much! 😫
Looks fantastic and eager to give it a try.
Hi! I totally get it… I have the same issues w. cream sometimes! You could try, but I’ll be honest… the sauce won’t be quite the same. It’ll be thinner, and there’s a chance it’ll turn out a little grainy if it separates a bit. You may need to add more flour/cornstarch to thicken it a bit more. Let me know how it goes!
There is lactose-free heavy cream, all the creaminess with none of the bad effects!
This was so so good! We made it with mashed potatoes and broccoli, it was a delicious meal. Thank you! All your recipes have been wonderful.
You’re very welcome! So happy you enjoy my recipes! 😀
Excellent recipe. I skipped the chicken and pan seared tuna and salmon steaks with the Cajun seasoning, made the sauce using cashew milk, nutritional yeast, vegan parmesan cheese and added mushrooms. Finished the dish in the oven. Wife and kids loved it. Unfortunately, no leftovers.
Wow! I am glad to have inspired you haha. 🙂
This was fantastic – we ate it over spaghetti squash and added sauteed spinach into the mix. Also, I substituted almond flour for the flour to make it keto friendly as mentioned above. A new family favorite!
Excellent! Thanks for letting me know! 🙂
Hello. This looks yummy! Could you substitute full fat coconut milk (canned) for the cream? We are dairy free….
Thanks! Hmmm.. you could try, but I’ll be honest… it’ll taste totally different.
This is soooo good. Perfect balance of comfort food with still being semi-healthy. It’s super simple too. I put over organic brown rice and omitted the extra parm cheese on top. I also added a green to balance the dish. I went with steamed asparagus tops. But was thinking spinach would be yummy too. Thanks for the idea!
I’m so happy you liked it!!
Trying to post 5 stars. Fabulous recipe.
I will edit your comment to reflect that! Thank you so much. 🙂
looks yummy can’t wait to try this recipe
Delicious!
Enjoy!