Quick, easy, and full of spicy flavors that will wake up your mouth! This is the perfect meal for busy weeknights. I'm taking a Louisiana classic and making it super simple but still delicious!
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Table of Contents
🗝️ Key takeaways
- Creole chicken and rice is an amazing recipe full of zesty cajun spices and simple ingredients that’s hot ‘n ready in 30 minutes!
- Complete your Creole cuisine meal with classic sides like cornbread and collard greens for a hearty, satisfying weeknight dinner.
- Don’t crowd the chicken in your skillet—work in batches so each piece cooks evenly and gets a crispy golden brown crust.
This easy cajun chicken recipe is bursting with bold flavors from the cajun seasoning, beautiful sauce, and aromatic veggies.
If you love cajun foods as much as I do, then I reckon this no-fuss meal will soon be your new favorite recipe!
🧾 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
📖 Variations
- Substitute the boneless skinless chicken breasts for chicken thighs if you’d like. Thighs are a little fattier and stay juicy and moist.
- You can use a can of diced tomatoes instead of Rotel tomatoes and chiles in a pinch. You’ll miss out on the flavor from the green pepper, though.
- Use my Copycat Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning recipe to make Creole seasoning from scratch! It’s a simple mix of kosher salt, cayenne pepper, black pepper, chili powder, and garlic powder.
- You can also make Italian seasoning yourself with a blend of dried basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, marjoram, parsley, sage, savory, garlic powder, onion powder, and optional red pepper flakes.
- Add a few minced garlic cloves or a teaspoon of garlic powder for extra flavor.
- Stir in a can of drained black beans or red kidney beans for more protein and texture.
🍴 Equipment
- Large skillet
- Instant-read thermometer
🎥 Video
🥫 How to store leftovers
Leftover Creole chicken can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to four days. It’s even better the next day!
Reheat leftovers in the microwave or a skillet on the stovetop in just a couple of minutes.
You can also freeze Creole chicken in an airtight container. Leftovers will keep for up to three months. Be sure to thaw frozen leftovers in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Expert tip:
Reduce to medium heat when you add the chicken, and work in batches so you properly cook and sear each piece. Avoid crowding the meat—this is the key to juicy, moist, golden-brown chicken!
💭 Things to know
- When you add the olive oil to your skillet, watch it carefully! It should shimmer, but don't let it burn.
- The chicken is done cooking when it turns golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F.
- Authentic creole sauce is made with the “holy trinity” of creole cooking—onions, celery, and red and green bell pepper. No substitutions allowed!
- Use low-sodium chicken stock if you’re concerned about salt content.
- You may need or prefer a little bit more chicken broth to get the right consistency in the sauce.
- Add a dash of paprika, cayenne pepper, or Louisiana-style hot sauce for some extra heat.
- Toss a bay leaf into your skillet while the creole sauce simmers. Bay leaves add a subtle earthy taste and floral aroma that balance out the flavors of rich dishes—but don’t eat them!
- Garnish your Creole chicken and rice with sliced green onions or chopped fresh parsley for a refreshing herby finish.
👩🍳 FAQs
Although long-grain white rice is traditional for a chicken and rice cajun recipe, you can also serve it with brown rice. Just keep in mind that brown rice needs more liquid and takes longer to cook than white rice.
Yep! This is a great way to save time—and save on cleanup, too! One less pot to wash!
Sure. I recommend searing the diced chicken in a skillet before adding it to the
It sure is! Unlike some other recipes, my creole chicken recipe doesn’t use all-purpose flour to thicken the tomato sauce. Tomato paste creates a rich, creamy sauce without flour and enhances the flavors in the dish. If you’re sensitive to gluten, just make sure the ingredients you use are certified gluten-free.
Chicken Creole is traditionally served over cooked white rice, but it also pairs well with classic Southern side dishes like cheesy grits, collard greens, and cornbread. Wines that taste great with this dish are red Zinfandel, Syrah/Shiraz, grenache, dry rosés, or Viognier white wine.
Absolutely! Since my recipe doesn’t use cornstarch to thicken the sauce, the texture isn’t ruined by freezing and thawing. Freeze leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 months, then thaw them in the fridge overnight before reheating.
📚 Related recipes
- Juicy and flavorful, my Easy Cajun Spiced Grilled Chicken Breast is done cooking in about 20 minutes!
- Crock Pot Chicken and Sausage Gumbo is a classic Louisiana recipe packed with flavor from andouille sausage, creole spices, fresh herbs, and veggies!
- My authentic Cajun Shrimp and Grits with Creamy Sauce is quick, easy, and made with crispy bacon and bacon grease—y’all know that everything is better with bacon!
🍽️ Serve with...
Easy Crock Pot Southern Collard Greens with Bacon are slow-cooked to tender perfection with zesty seasonings and savory bacon.
Enjoy Creole chicken and rice with a warm, buttery slice of Easy Buttermilk Cornbread, made in the classic Southern style—without added sugar.
Bananas Foster Cheesecake is a rich dessert that combines New York-style cheesecake with the signature New Orleans sweet treat. It's the perfect ending to an authentic meal!
📞 The last word
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please comment below and give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Creole Chicken and Rice
Print Pin Recipe Save Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- 2 ½ pounds chicken breasts, or thighs - boneless skinless
- 1 ½ cups onions, chopped
- 1 ½ cups bell pepper, chopped
- 1 ½ cups celery, chopped
- 14.5 ounces Rotel tomatoes and chiles, undrained
- 1 ¼ cup chicken stock, may need more
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 2 cups rice, cooked
Instructions
- Cut chicken into bite sized pieces.
- Heat about 2 tablespoons of the oil to the skillet until it shimmers - watch carefully!
- Add chicken to the hot oil in the skillet but do not crowd - you may need to cook it in batches.
- Saute chicken pieces in the oil until outside is golden brown and interior registers 160F on an instant read thermometer.
- Remove the chicken from the skillet and keep warm on a plate.
- Add the remaining oil to the same skillet.
- Saute the onion, bell pepper, and celery until tender.
- Stir in the Rotel tomatoes, chicken stock, tomato paste, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
- Bring to a simmer, reduce heat, and cover.
- Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the mixture is cooked down to your liking.
- Stir the chicken into the vegetables in the pan.
- Heat through.
- Serve with the cooked rice.
Notes
- When you add the olive oil to your skillet, watch it carefully! It should shimmer, but don't let it burn.
- The chicken is done cooking when it turns golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F. It will continue to cook to 165 while it sits.
- Use low-sodium chicken stock if you’re concerned about salt content.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
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Sherry Radack says
Hi Marye, can I substitute salmon for chicken. My husband doesn’t like chicken so much
Marye says
I don't eat salmon (or any fish - just not a fan) but I don't see why you couldn't?