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Most meat-lovers will agree that it is rather hard to turn down a poultry dish that is so succulent that it just falls off the bone, and Cajun smothered chicken is one of those dishes. It is packed full of flavors of rich garlic, stock, and a beautiful blend of spices that just burst in your mouth.
Cajun cooking is very simple. It uses basic ingredients that are local and readily available along with simple cooking methods to create amazing dishes. Most of the Cajun dishes are one-pot meals that can be thrown together in no time; sounds good, right?
I want to share with you the recipe for one of my favorite Cajun meals of all time; Cajun smothered chicken. Follow the instructions in this article carefully and make this restaurant-quality dish whenever you like.
Cajun Smothered Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 chicken cut into servings
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- Cayenne pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 lb of fresh pork sausage
- 3 large onion finely chopped
- 1 large bell pepper
- 4 stalks of celery
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 cup water
- 1/2 cup chopped green onion tops
- 1/2 cup chopped parsley
Instructions
Step 1: Season and Cut Chicken
- Season the chicken with salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste and cut the chicken so that it cooks faster. I recommend under-seasoning at this point rather than overseasoning so that you can make alterations further down the road.
Step 2: Brown in Hot Oil
- Brown the chicken in hot oil on a skillet. This will only take a few minutes as you don’t want the chicken to cook all the way through just yet. The aim is to get a nice crisp color on the outside that will seal in the seasoning.
Step 3: Brown and Cut the Sausages
- Next, remove the browned chicken from the skillet and place the sausages on the skillet. Brown the sausages evenly and cut them into one-inch slices.
Step 4: Finely Chop the Onion, Bell Pepper, and Celery
- Chop up the bell pepper, onion, and celery, and remove the majority of the oil from the skillet. Try off the veggies in the skillet until you see that the onions have become transparent.
Step 5: Combine Vegetables, Chicken, and Sausage Slices
- Add the chicken and pork sausages to the skillet and fry them all off together or a minute or so.
Step 6: Add Garlic Powder and Water
- Add the water and the garlic powder to the skillet. You might want to transfer the ingredients into a larger pot at this point. You can also add a cube of vegetable stock or chicken stock to the water if you want some added flavors.
Step 7: Leave to Simmer
- You should leave the Cajun smothered chicken to simmer for approximately 40 minutes. Check the pot regularly and stir every now and then to ensure nothing burns.
Step 8: Top with Parsley and Onion Tops
- Now is the time to add your toppings. Parsley and chopped onion tops are perfect toppings for this dish!
Step 9: Serve with your Favorite Side Dish
- Serve on its own or with your favorite chicken side dish, and enjoy!
Cajun Smothered Chicken Tips & Ideas
Trying out a new recipe can be daunting, especially if you are working with ingredients with which you don’t have much experience. The following tips, tricks, and suggestions should help you execute this recipe.
Tips and Tricks
Here are some tips and tricks that I have gathered over time for making this dish as tasty as possible. Every time you make this meal, you will get your own Cajun cooking style that I would love to hear all about!
Less is More
Less is more when it comes to seasoning and added extras. I like to stick to adding onion and one or two vegetables so that the dish doesn’t get overpowered with flavor.
Keep the Meat on the Bone
Boneless meat dries out quickly, which isn’t ideal for recipes that have a long cooking time. I find using chicken legs, thighs, and whole chicken the best for this dish rather than boneless chicken breast.
Take your Time
Taking the time out to prepare the ingredients properly is vital to ensure your dish is rich in flavor. For example, it can be very easy to skip browning the chicken or sausages and presuming that they will cook through as they simmer, but the texture of the meat will not be the same. Invest in your prep time so that the end result is more delicious than ever.
Side Dish Ideas
Rice
Rice and chicken go hand in hand, especially chicken that is covered in juicy gravy. The best thing about fresh rice is that the leftovers can be turned into fried rice with peas and sweetcorn the next day, so nothing ever goes to waste.
Steamed Vegetables
As you can see from the ingredients used in this recipe, this dish is very healthy and low in carbs, so pairing it with fresh vegetables or salad keeps it low-carb and diet-friendly.
Couscous and Raisins
Couscous is super easy to make. All you need to do is to pour boiling water over it and let the water soak into the couscous. Its convenience isn’t the only reason why I like couscous with this dish. Couscous and raisins are super yummy together, and having this as your Cajun chicken side dish gives you an opportunity to incorporate another flavor to the chicken without it overpowering the meal.
Alternative Ingredients
Pork
Swap the chicken out for pork if you want to mix it up a bit. Pork has a similar cooking time to chicken, so you shouldn’t have to alter the cooking times much either, which is great.
Turkey or Chicken Sausages
You don’t have to use pork sausages in your recipe. Turkey or chicken sausages are just as delicious in this meal.
Cajun Chicken Spices
If you can get your hands on a Cajun spice mix at your local grocery store, then I wouldn’t think twice about using this in the recipe. Hold off on the cayenne pepper if you are using a Cajun chicken spice mix so that your dish doesn’t turn out fiery hot.
Presentation Ideas
Self-Serve
If you are serving this to your family then you certainly don’t need to have a swanky serving style. You can get the pots on the table with serving spoons and let them all serve themselves. I find that this serving style encourages people to go in for seconds!
Deep Bowl
This is particularly convenient if you are serving the chicken with couscous or rice as it makes the meal easier to dig into!
Tapas-Style
Have you made a few Cajun-style dishes for dinner this evening? Tapas-style serving styles allow your dinner guests to see everything you have made. This type of meal is ideal for friends that don’t mind sharing food and less suitable for people meeting one another for the first time.
Good luck making this yummy Cajun smothered chicken dish. It is much easier than it looks, so don’t hesitate and get cooking! Feel free to comment on your personal tips, tricks, and cooking suggestions in the comments section below and help one another out.