Easy Cajun-Spiced Chicken Breasts

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 04/30/21
Cajun spiced chicken breast

The Spruce

Prep: 8 mins
Cook: 14 mins
Marinate: 60 mins
Total: 82 mins
Servings: 4 servings

This easy chicken recipe is made with Cajun spices, boneless chicken breasts, and a little vegetable oil. This light and easy entree takes less than 25 minutes to prepare and cook. The chicken is seasoned and refrigerated for about an hour before it's cooked, so plan to begin at least an hour before you plan to cook the chicken.

Serve the chicken with mashed potatoes or roasted cauliflower along with steamed peas, broccoli, or green beans. Or slice the cooked chicken into thin strips and serve them atop a fresh tossed green salad or spring greens.

See the variations for a homemade Cajun seasoning blend and instructions for using it in the recipe.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts

  • 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning

  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (only if the Cajun seasoning is unsalted)

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Easy Cajun Spiced Chicken Breast ingredients
    The Spruce

  2. If the chicken breasts are large, slice them horizontally to form thin cutlets. For faster cooking, place the chicken breasts or cutlets between sheets of plastic wrap and pound to flatten to a uniform thickness.

    Pounding chicken breasts
    The Spruce

  3. Combine the seasonings and oil to form a paste, adding more oil if needed.

    Cajun spice blend
    The Spruce

  4. Rub the seasoning mixture all over the chicken breasts.

    Chicken breasts and cajun spices
    The Spruce 

  5. Place the seasoned chicken breasts in a food storage bag and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

    Chicken breasts marinating
    The Spruce

  6. Grill or broil the chicken for about 5 to 7 minutes on each side, depending on thickness.

    Grilling Cajun chicken
    The Spruce

  7. Chicken is done when juices run clear when pricked with a fork.

    Easy Cajun Spiced Chicken Breasts
    The Spruce

  8. Serve with your favorite sides and enjoy!

*A serving of chicken is about the size of a deck of playing cards or about 3 to 4 ounces. Unless chicken breasts are sliced to "portion size," they might weigh as much as 10 to 12 ounces.

Recipe Variation

  • Homemade Cajun seasoning (unsalted): In a small bowl, combine 2 teaspoons of onion powder, 2 teaspoons of paprika, 1 1/2 teaspoons of garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon of dried leaf thyme, 1/4 teaspoon of dried leaf oregano, 1/4 teaspoon of chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, and a dash of cayenne pepper. Use this mixture along with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and omit the pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder in the recipe.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
118 Calories
8g Fat
2g Carbs
10g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 118
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 8g 10%
Saturated Fat 1g 4%
Cholesterol 26mg 9%
Sodium 1939mg 84%
Total Carbohydrate 2g 1%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 10g
Vitamin C 1mg 3%
Calcium 12mg 1%
Iron 1mg 3%
Potassium 111mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags: