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This easy Cajun Chicken recipe delivers moist, juicy, and tender Cajun baked chicken with crispy skin. It takes only 10 minutes of active time to prepare and is incredibly delicious. With its mouthwatering flavors and easy prep, this chicken dish is a must-try!
Cajun Baked Chicken
Are you a fan of Cajun seasonings?
If so, get ready for a culinary delight with Cajun Chicken—it’s simply out-of-this-world delicious.
Cajun seasoning works wonders on chicken, seafood boil,
but when applied to Cajun-marinated baked chicken, you’ll experience juicy, tender meat with a perfectly charred skin, infused with the irresistible heat and flavors of the seasonings. This recipe is bursting with flavor and deliciousness!
Not a fan of the spices. Try Honey Lime Chicken or Chipotle Lime Chicken.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- This recipe is versatile: simply toss in some pasta with the chicken for a complete and nutritious meal.
- Switch up cooking methods: this recipe can be prepared in various ways, such as grilling, baking, or pan-searing, making it suitable for different preferences and occasions.
- Unique flavors: the Cajun seasoning adds a distinctive blend of spices and herbs that create a savory, slightly spicy kick chicken dish.
Ingredients
This easy recipe calls for only six (6) simple ingredients:
- skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs – debone the chicken thighs for the best results.
- melted unsalted butter
- Cajun Seasonings – I recommend McCormick Gourmet Cajun Seasonings
- honey
- salt
- cayenne pepper
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients.
Recipe Variations And Substitution
This recipes can be modified in many ways to suit different tastes and occasions:
- Grilling. Grilled chicken marinated with Cajun spices is great for summer
- Try Cajun Chicken Chop, served with baked French fries.
- Pasta. Serve up an easy spaghetti dish with chicken for pasta lovers.
- Rice. Turn it into a substantial dinner by pairing with cilantro lime rice.
- Burger. Make Cajun chicken burgers with slider buns.
- Dry Rub. Substitute my homemade dry rub for marinade to infuse classic American BBQ flavor.
- Shrimp. Switch up the protein and make Cajun shrimp instead.
How To Make This Recipe
This is quick and easy to prepare, with just 10 minutes of active time needed as it bakes in the oven. Here are the detailed step-by-steps:
Step 1: Debone the chicken thighs, leaving the skin on. Please refer to how to debone chicken thighs.
Step 2: Mix melted butter, Cajun Seasonings, honey, salt, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl until well combined.
Step 3: Mix the chicken with the Cajun butter mixture and let it marinate for 30 minutes
Step 4: Preheat oven to 400°F (207°C). Place the Cajun-marinated chicken in a baking dish. Bake for 20-25 minutes until cooked through and skin browns. Broil for 10 seconds for charred skin.
Step 5: Transfer the chicken and Cajun sauce to a platter. Drizzle the sauce over the chicken. Slice and serve.
Helpful Tips
- Deboned chicken thighs. Chicken thigh with skin is best for baked chicken, as the chicken meat remains moist, tender, and juicy, with the added bonus of nicely charred skin. I have a tutorial post and video to show you how to debone bone-in and skin-on chicken thighs. Please check it out.
- Yogurt. Add two tablespoons of plain yogurt or Greek yogurt to the marinade. Its thick consistency coats the chicken, forming a barrier that stops moisture from escaping, thus keeping the meat juicy during marination.
Frequently Asked Questions
When it comes to baked chicken, I always prefer chicken thighs over chicken breasts. Chicken thighs are moist, tender, and perfect for oven baking. While you can use bone-in chicken thighs or boneless, skinless chicken thighs, the best option is deboned chicken thighs with the skin on. If you prefer chicken breasts, you can certainly use them for Cajun chicken breasts.
400°F is the ideal temperature for baking chicken thighs. Since they’re deboned, they’re easier to cook and will take less time, about 20-25 minutes. Adjust the time based on the size of your chicken thighs.
Absolutely. You can replace the recipe with skin-on chicken breasts.
My recipe lends a moderate level of spiciness, making it flavorful without being overwhelmingly hot.
Absolutely! Double the marinade ingredients, mix, store in an airtight container, and refrigerate. It stays good for up to 4 weeks.
This recipe is only 522 calories per serving.
What To Serve With Cajun Chicken
For a wholesome meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.
I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. If you try my recipe, please leave a comment and consider giving it a 5-star rating. For more easy and delicious recipes, explore my Recipe Index, and stay updated by subscribing to my newsletter and following me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for new updates.
Other Recipes You Might Like
Cajun Chicken (Juicy with Crispy Skin)
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. (1kg) skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
- 4 tablepoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasonings, McCormick Gourmet Cajun Seasonings
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 dashes cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Debone the chicken thighs, leaving the skin on. Please refer to how to debone chicken thighs.
- Mix the melted butter, Cajun seasonings, honey, salt, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl until well combined.
- Mix the chicken with the Cajun butter mixture and let it marinate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (207°C). Place the Cajun-marinated chicken in a baking dish and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until cooked through and the skin is browned. Broil for 10 seconds to achieve charred skin.
- Transfer the chicken and Cajun sauce to a platter. Drizzle the sauce over the chicken, then slice and serve.
Notes
- Deboned chicken thighs with skin is best for baked chicken, as the chicken meat remains moist, tender, and juicy, with the added bonus of nicely charred skin.
- You may add two tablespoons of plain yogurt or Greek yogurt in step 3. Yogurt retains moisture in the chicken.
- You may use chicken breast for this recipe. Leave the skin on.
- 400F is the perfect temperature to bake chicken thighs.
- I recommend Challenge brand unsalted butter and McCormick Gourmet Cajun Seasonings.
- You can prepare the Cajun marinade ahead of time and store it in an airtight container. It will keep in the fridge for up to 4 weeks. Use it for seasoning chicken, fish, or shrimp.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can you freeze the chicken in the marinade mixture to thaw and cook layer?
Yes.
How can I prevent the honey from looking burnt? Would parchment paper or aluminum foil help? I always struggle with baked dishes that require honey. Honey always gets burned quickly even though meat wasn’t cooked yet, even with 375F.
Cover it up with aluminum foil.
Can I use instant pot with this recipe. If I can, can you please give the directions as I am new to IP.
IP is not going to work well for this recipe.
This dish is absolutely delicious. I use it for every BBQ now and regularly have guests request it being made when they get an invite! So simple and delicious, thank you very much :)
Thanks Patrick. Please try more recipes on my site: https://rasamalaysia.com/recipe-index-gallery/
I want to make this bit there is no measurement for the mixture. Could you help me with that?
The recipe is at the bottom of the page in the recipe card.