Oven-Baked Cajun Chicken

In this easy 40-minute Cajun chicken recipe, the chicken is coated in a delicious rub and baked in a hot oven until perfectly juicy.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Rest time 5

Total Time 40

Servings servings

Calories 293kcal

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

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.

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.