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.
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Nutrition
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!
Eli says
Just made this recipe and it was absolutely delicious. Thank you for this quick and easy addition to my meal rotation!
Natasha says
You're very welcome, Eli! 😀
Erin says
Delicious!! Our new favorite!
My sauce separated, which I’ve never had happen before. Any thoughts on what caused that?
Natasha says
I'm so happy you enjoyed it!! Usually curdling/separation comes down to a couple of things - 1) did you use full-fat (36% or more) heavy cream or something lighter? 2) Sometimes if the cream is cold straight out of the fridge and added to a screaming hot pan, it can separate, so it's a good idea to let it warm up on the counter first or turn the heat down a bit.
Sorcha King says
If I cooked the chicken I’ve about 5 chicken breast so that Will be 10 pieces with all the dry ingredients then. As required reheat with stock cream and Parmesan would I still have to serve immediately. I intend to keep i fridge and use it in different ways over the new couple of days.
Natasha says
Hi! I'd probably make a test batch first and see how well it reheats. In general, I don't find cream sauces reheat all that well.
Vera Higgins says
Natasha
I tried to subscribe to your recipes, you said you sent me an emal to confirm I have not as yet received an email from you
I like your "Creamy Cajun Chicken" recipe, my stove is not working so can I bake the
recipe in my oven, I do hope so, can you let me know how i adjust the recipe to bake it
Hope you can help me
My regards
Vera H.
Natasha says
Hi Vera! We have no record of your email address in our system, so please try again. As for adjusting this recipe, I am not sure how you'd adjust to fully do it in the oven. You may need to do a bit of experimenting, but I'm concerned that you won't get the sear on the chicken, and sometimes cream sauces don't fare too well in the oven. I would probably just try a different recipe that's fully cooked in the oven such as this one: https://bit.ly/3TOlcJY
Rhonda Aubert says
Can you add fresh spinach to this recipe?
Natasha says
Absolutely! I'd add it in towards the end so it wilts for a few minutes. Enjoy!
Anne says
Can I ask is chicken broth just chicken stock ?
Natasha says
Pretty much. It's not exactly the same (I assume you're not in North America) but stock will work just as well. 🙂
Mary says
Wonderful recipe! Fast and easy weeknight meal. I’m slow and had this on the table in 35 minutes. I hacked it by using boneless skinless chicken tenders and Bob Evans mashed potatoes because that cream sauce is dynamite! I did slice my roasted red peppers
Natasha says
So happy you enjoyed it, Mary!! 😀
Victoria says
The sauce is amazing. Followed the instructions and had no issues! Thank you!
Natasha says
Yay!! I'm so glad it was a hit! 😀
Ileana says
I just made this recipe today. We are a family of five and we all loved it. All of us stood to get a second plate. So flavorful. I served it with spaghettis. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Natasha says
That's so nice to hear!! 🙂
Patrick says
This recipe is delicious! I double the sauce and toss some on linguine noodles and top them with crispy prosciutto bits.. it really sets it off just right.. thank you!!!
Natasha says
So happy you like it! Love the crispy prosciutto idea!
Courtney says
I can’t wait to try this recipe. I found the salt free Tony chacheres seasoning. I may double this recipe. I’m glad you give extra information with this recipe for example if the chicken breasts are smaller you can leave them whole and cook longer and estimation of how long to cook per side. I’m relatively a noob in the kitchen because my husband is the cook in my family but he works a lot and these extra tidbits help me when I’m cooking. Thank you. Can’t wait to try
Natasha says
Hi Courtney!! I'm so glad you're going to give this recipe a try. 🙂 Your best bet is to use an instant read meat thermometer to ensure that the chicken breasts are cooked to 165F in the middle. They're inexpensive, take about 5 seconds to use, and take the guesswork out. You can watch a tutorial on YouTube to see how they work. That's one of the ways I learn new cooking techniques myself. It's so easy to overcook chicken breasts, so I highly recommend getting one. A "little longer" could mean anything from another minute per side to even longer... but every piece of chicken, stove, pan, etc. is different, so that's just a wild guess, and for safety reasons, it's important that chicken is cooked to 165F minimum.
Courtney says
Thank you for the the pro tips! I will buy the instant thermometer on Amazon. You are right, things vary so much from kitchen to kitchen so I love seeing all the tips on your recipes. Some recipes online are so vague that You have to rely on your cooking skills and where I’m growing in this area the tips are greatly appreciated.
Natasha says
I definitely pride myself on making recipes easy to understand for novice cooks. 🙂 I'm so happy you're finding the tips helpful. Let me know how this recipe goes for you!
Tonia says
Love this recipe. I also tried this on fish and it was amazing. Cooked it the same way.
Natasha says
That's awesome!! 🙂
Jane Jetson says
Looking forward to this but I do not understand why this is cajun when you say... "I used Tony Chachere's No Salt Creole Seasoning." Huh? Cajun and Creole are two different cuisines.
Miranda @ Salt & Lavender says
Hi Jane! You may be interested to read up on Tony's rich history of both Cajun and Creole cooking here: https://www.tonychachere.com/our-roots/
Enjoy the recipe 🙂
KD Kling says
This recipe is delicious. My husband always order something similar from a local restaurant, and this recipe is so much better. I am so surprised how easy it is. We have had it over pasta.
Natasha says
I'm so glad to hear that!! 🙂 Thanks for your review!
Lateisha says
Reading is FUNDAMENTAL!! Smh
AY says
So delicious and can’t believe how easy ! I had over rice with a side of buttered carrots and corn.
Natasha says
Fantastic!! Thank you!!
GigiM says
Great Idea! I was considering spinach, but haven't had carrots in forever!
Kristina says
Amazing recipe! We added white wine with the tomatoes + garlic and left out the flour per my husbands request, served it over potatoes and a side of broccoli! Just perfect !Thanks.
Natasha says
I'm so pleased you enjoyed it, Kristina!! 😀
Ryan says
Saltiest online recipe I’ve ever made. Threw out dinner and got fast food.
Miranda @ Salt & Lavender says
Hi Ryan! That's exactly why we mentioned using no-salt Cajun seasoning in two places in this post, including right in the recipe card. Sorry you breezed right past these important tips, and we hope you try the recipe again as intended.
Lil ol me says
I guess reading comprehension isn't in your skillset... is it crybaby?
Holly says
His new name is “Cryan”
Claudia says
Because there's definitely no salt in fast food, Ryan. 😂 (Or did you cry when you ate that too?)
Neil walker says
Hi I was wondering wat the green is is it a herb as thinking of making it tonight
Natasha says
Hello! It's just a little chopped parsley sprinkled over top. Totally optional... I mostly just add it to give the photos a little more color. Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Annne says
Omg! This recipe is a keeper!
I wanted to make the recipe as stated but used what I had on hand ( fresh diced tomatoes and grated old cheddar cheese)
My husband normally would rather eat anything else besides chicken. I made this tonight and he asked me to make again tomorrow 😂
He loved it and I really enjoyed it too but I normally eat less spicy.
Served over basmati rice and green beans! Thank you for this delicious and easy recipe!
Natasha says
That's amazing!! 🙂 You're very welcome!!
Ruth says
Is there a way I can just make the Cajun seating ?
Natasha says
I'm not sure what you're asking?
Leigh says
There are numerous Cajun seasoning recipes online. Pick one you like & give it a try.
Nicole Marino says
Absolutely delicious!! I skip the sun dried tomatoes, but my husband and I love this recipe. Thanks for sharing!
Natasha says
Wonderful! 🙂 Thanks for your review!
Jason says
Flavorful and easy. Everyone in my house cleaned their plates. Salt warning is right. Make sure you use low/no salt Cajun seasoning.
Natasha says
I'm so pleased it was a hit, Jason!!
Kate says
I added mushrooms and andoullie sausage, and used diced romas instead of sundried. It was an instant hit with my family!
Natasha says
Wonderful!! 🙂 Love those additions.
Julie J says
Mushrooms sounds good to add 😋 I'm looking for something for tonight since I can't grill because of the weather 😫
Denise Culpepper says
Great recipe! I overlooked the notes about using a low sodium or no sodium Cajun seasoning and it was extremely salty. Otherwise the recipe is great.
Natasha says
I'm so pleased you enjoyed it, Denise (despite the salt)! Yup, some varieties can be very salty. I hope you will give it another go with the low sodium version. 🙂
Carmen Bundick says
We love this recipe! My daughter and family are coming over for dinner and she asked could I please make Cajun Chicken. I was thrilled as I was prepared to make something more laborious. She doesn’t need to know how easy it is to make😂
Natasha says
Haha that's so great!!! Thanks for letting me know. 😀
Rosmary says
Made the recipe, served over rice, and used Slap Ya Mama seasoning. Yummy!! I did something wrong. My sauce was really thick.
Natasha says
Hi! I'm glad you enjoyed it! So, you probably would just need to cook the sauce for a little less time next time if you prefer it to be thinner (and/or turn the heat down). You can always add an extra splash of cream or chicken broth (or even water) to thin it out prior to serving if it's a tad too thick next time.
Shelly Reid says
I use Slap Ya Mamma seasoning I like it better than Tony’s. I used red Argentine shrimp in mine. Loved it! We had andouille sausage cornbread dressing and collard greens with rice.
Natasha says
🙂
Moonyeen Price says
Hi
Can you freeze this?
Natasha says
Hi! Cream sauces typically don't freeze well unfortunately (they can separate/get a weird texture when reheating).
Elaine says
Made this a few times now delicious . I make pancake crepes ,and cook a red pepper and onion also . Add everything and roll in a crepe ,Cajun chicken crepes and serve with fries or wedges. An easy delicious meal that most of family enjoy ( only the fussy eaters don't ,and they don't know what they're missing ) nom 😋
Natasha says
Ohh now that sounds amazing!!
John McLean says
Lovely
Natasha says
Thanks, John! Pleased you enjoyed it.
Michelle says
I can't remember if I left a review the first time I made this. 😅 This is my husband's new favorite! It's creamy AND spicy, and we wanted something other than Thai creamy/spicy. I omit the salt and pepper and use regular cajun seasoning. I've made this several times using sun dried tomatoes or diced tomatoes (fresh or canned, thinner sauce) and we enjoy both ways with jasmine rice--delicious! He will actually eat this as leftovers for days. 🤣 Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! I'm trying it tonight with salmon instead of chicken. 😁
Natasha says
Haha no worries!! I'm so glad you love this recipe!! Let me know how it goes with salmon... that sounds great.
Melissa Cotton says
This is amazing! It's become a household favourite and have it weekly! 3 teenage boys and husband love this meal! I dont use any sundried tomatoes though as I didn't have any on hand the 1st time I made it but love how it came out regardless.
Natasha says
That's so nice to hear. It's always a win when everyone in the house likes a dish. Thanks for letting me know, Melissa! 😀
Tracy Asar says
I used the Original Tony Chachere’s and it was too salty. I though that was the recommended brand but maybe they have a low salt version because the first ingredient in the Original one was salt. I used low sodium chicken stock.
Natasha says
Hi Tracy! Yes, they have a low salt version (I did say in the recipe notes that I used their No Salt Creole Seasoning, but you must've missed that... no worries). I hope you'll give it another try with a low/no salt version.