This Cajun chicken is coated in a delicious rub and baked in a hot oven until perfectly juicy. Bold seasoning is the perfect way to turn chicken into a delightfully flavorful dish everyone enjoys!
When I want to upgrade this simple baked chicken breast, I make this incredibly juicy and flavorful Cajun chicken recipe. It's an easy recipe that takes just 40 minutes, pairs with many different side dishes, and even the leftovers are great, cold or reheated - I often use them when making a Cobb salad.
Ingredients
Here's an overview of the ingredients needed for this recipe. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below.
- Avocado oil spray: This oil has a neutral flavor and a high smoke point, making it an ideal cooking oil.
- Chicken breasts: Try to find ones that aren't too big - 8 ounces per piece is perfect. Cooking bigger ones in a hot oven is a bit more challenging, although it can be done, as I explain below.
- Cajun seasoning: Homemade or store-bought. If using store-bought, check the ingredient list to make sure no sugar was added.
Variations
- Use ghee cooking spray to coat the chicken instead of avocado oil spray. Ghee is delicious! It has a delightful nutty flavor.
- You can make this dish as mild or spicy as you like by reducing or increasing the cayenne pepper. I typically use ¼ teaspoon. Reduce it to just a pinch (⅛ teaspoon) for a milder flavor. Increase to ½ teaspoon for a truly spicy dish.
- Substitute smoked paprika for regular paprika. It adds an interesting smoky flavor.
Instructions
Detailed instructions for making this recipe are provided in the recipe card below. Here are the basic steps:
Use a fork to mix the Cajun seasoning ingredients in a small bowl. Rub the seasoning into the chicken on both sides.
Place the coated chicken pieces in a greased baking dish. Spray their tops with oil. Be generous with the oil - it protects the chicken from drying and the herbs from burning in the hot oven.
Bake the chicken in a preheated 450°F oven until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F in the thickest part, 20-30 minutes. Check the chicken after the first 20 minutes. If the tops are becoming too dark, cover them loosely with foil. Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
This is DELICIOUS! Just the right amount of heat and the chicken is tender and juicy!!
Dawn
Read more comments
This is DELICIOUS! Just the right amount of heat and the chicken is tender and juicy!!Recipe Tip
In this recipe, I use the same technique I always use when baking chicken breasts. Baking them at a high temperature for a short time is the best way to keep the chicken from drying out. It ensures the chicken remains juicy.
However, if your chicken breasts are larger than 8 ounces each, you'll need to bake them for up to 30 minutes instead of just 20 minutes. If that is the case, loosely cover them with foil after the first 20 minutes. This will prevent the tops from scorching in the hot oven. Cajun spices are delicious, but they burn easily.
Recipe FAQs
There's no need for that. One of the things I love about this recipe is how easy and quick it is. Rub the chicken with the spice blend, bake, and serve!
How spicy you make it is up to you. I use ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper for four chicken breasts. This is not very spicy (at least not to my palate). If you like heat, you can use ½ teaspoon of cayenne. If you don't, reduce the cayenne to ¼ teaspoon or even omit it.
Yes. They'll be ready faster - start checking after 15 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
Since I bake Cajun chicken in a 450°F oven, I often serve it with a side I can cook in the same oven, such as:
Storing Leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat them, covered, in the microwave at 50% power, or eat them cold! I like to make a lunch plate of cold sliced chicken, fresh-cut veggies, and quick pickles. I also like using them in this chicken Cobb salad, as shown in the image below. The advantage of enjoying the leftovers cold is that you don't risk drying the chicken when you reheat it.
Recipe Card
Oven-Baked Cajun Chicken
Video
Ingredients
- Avocado oil spray
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts - 8 ounces each
Cajun seasoning:
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or ½ teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with oil. Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board.
- Use a fork to mix the Cajun seasoning ingredients in a small bowl.
- Rub the seasoning into the chicken breasts on both sides.
- Place the coated chicken pieces in the greased baking dish. Spray their tops with oil. Be generous with the oil - it protects the chicken from drying and the herbs from burning in the hot oven.
- Bake until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F in the thickest part. Depending on how hot your oven runs and the size of the chicken pieces, this should take 20-30 minutes. Check on the chicken periodically after the first 20 minutes. If the tops are becoming too dark, cover them loosely with foil.
- Once cooked through, place the chicken on a plate, cover it loosely with foil, and allow it to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Baking in a hot oven for a relatively short time produces juicy chicken. But if your chicken breasts are larger than 8 ounces each, you'll need to bake them for up to 30 minutes instead of 20 minutes. If that is the case, loosely cover them with foil after the first 20 minutes. This will prevent the tops from scorching in the hot oven. The spices we use here are delicious, but they can burn easily.
- You can make this dish as mild or spicy as you like by reducing or increasing the cayenne pepper. I typically use ¼ teaspoon. Reduce it to just a pinch (⅛ teaspoon) for a milder flavor. Increase to ½ teaspoon for a truly spicy dish.
- There's no need to marinate the chicken before cooking it. One of the things I love about this recipe is how easy and quick it is. Rub the chicken with the spice blend, bake, and serve!
- You can keep the leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Gently reheat them covered in the microwave at 50% power, or eat them cold in a salad.
Nutrition per Serving
Save this Recipe!
We'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
We will also add you to our weekly newsletter. Unsubscribe anytime. See healthyrecipesblogs.com/privacy/ to learn how we use your email.
Disclaimers
Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
Dawn S says
This is DELICIOUS! Just the right amount of heat and the chicken is tender and juicy!!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Wonderful, Dawn! I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for the review.
LME says
What a beautiful presentation! My family was impressed to find a beautiful salad with an amazing chicken on the side for a weeknight dinner. It was not hard to make. As the chicken baked I put together the salad. Thank you Vered for sharing this wonderful recipe! I will be making this again. 🙂
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you very much for the review.