Description
This Cajun Chicken recipe features tender chicken breasts coated in Cajun seasoning and flour, seared to a golden crust, and smothered in a creamy, spicy sauce made with chicken broth, heavy cream, Rotel tomatoes, and cheese. Enhanced with garlic, butter, and a touch of lime juice, it's a flavorful main course perfect for serving with rice, beans, or salad.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- ¾ cups heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce
- 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
- 1 teaspoon light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
Chicken
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 ½ teaspoons Cajun seasoning
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
Other
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 10 oz Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies, juice reserved
- ¾ cup cheddar jack cheese, shredded
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
For Serving
- Lime wedges
- Fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Prep Work: Drain and reserve about ¼ cup of the juice from the diced tomatoes to use later for deglazing the skillet. In a large measuring cup, combine the chicken broth, heavy cream, honey, hot sauce, Cajun seasoning, brown sugar, mustard powder, oregano, cayenne pepper, and red pepper flakes. Set aside.
- Prepare the Chicken: Slice each chicken breast in half lengthwise to create thinner slices. Cover with plastic wrap and pound to ½ inch thickness using the textured side of a meat mallet. Season both sides with Cajun seasoning. Sprinkle and rub flour over both sides of the chicken to add texture and help thicken the sauce later.
- Sear the Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken breasts in batches, cooking for 4-5 minutes per side until a golden crust forms. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
- Make the Sauce: Add the reserved tomato juice to the hot skillet and use a silicone spatula to scrape up any browned bits (fond) from the bottom and sides. Add butter and minced garlic; cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously to remove the raw flour taste.
- Add Sauce Mixture: Gradually add the prepared sauce mixture in small splashes, stirring constantly to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
- Simmer Sauce with Tomatoes: Add the drained diced tomatoes to the skillet and let simmer for 5-7 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken and the flavors to meld.
- Add Cheese and Lime Juice: Lower heat to low and slowly sprinkle in shredded cheese, stirring continuously until melted and combined. Stir in the lime juice slowly for brightness.
- Combine Chicken and Sauce: Return the chicken breasts to the skillet and spoon sauce on top. Simmer uncovered for 4 minutes. Add fresh lime wedges to the skillet and simmer for 1 additional minute. Remove from heat.
- Serve: Sprinkle chopped fresh cilantro over the chicken and serve hot with your choice of rice, beans, or salad.
Notes
- Use reduced or no sodium Cajun seasoning for a lower salt version.
- Frank's Hot Sauce works well for the hot sauce used in this recipe.
- If avoiding tomatoes, substitute reserved tomato juice with ¼ cup dry white wine or additional chicken broth to deglaze the skillet.
- Cheddar Jack, Monterey Jack, Cheddar, or Mozzarella cheese all work well; shred from a block for better melting.
- To reduce heat, use only 1 teaspoon hot sauce and omit cayenne and red pepper flakes; you may also substitute regular diced tomatoes instead of Rotel.
- Add black beans or corn with the tomatoes for extra texture and flavor.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen up to 3 months. Reheat thawed leftovers baked at 350°F for 20-25 minutes in a covered dish.
- For perfectly cooked rice: boil 2 cups chicken broth, add 1 cup long grain white rice, return to boil, reduce to simmer and cook covered for 15 minutes. Turn off heat and let rice rest covered for 10 minutes for fluffiness. This yields about 3 cups of rice.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
