Spicy and Creamy Cajun Chicken with Bell Peppers - easy, lean, and healthy one-pan dinner! The chicken breasts are coated with the homemade Cajun seasoning and topped with cream cheese. Then, the chicken is oven-baked on top of the sliced bell peppers. A gluten-free and low-carb recipe that will become a family favorite!
This spicy and creamy Cajun chicken bake is great both for lunch and dinner. The flavors in this quick and easy recipe are out of this world! Just like spicy Cajun shrimp.
Moist and juicy chicken breasts are smothered with cream cheese and topped with bell peppers. Similar to this simple broccoli cheddar chicken. And the best part? This one-pot dinner is done in under 45 minutes. Including the prep and the baking time. Everything is cooked in one pan, so the clean-up is minimal.
Cajun Chicken
- There are many Cajun dishes out there, but this one is special. It's a creamy Cajun chicken. The creaminess comes from the cream cheese and cheddar cheese.
- The chicken itself is bursting with spicy, smoky and savory flavors.
- The homemade Cajun spice is made with paprika, oregano, thyme, cayenne pepper, and minced garlic.
Side Dishes
Serve Cajun chicken with:
- Cilantro-lime and black bean rice.
- Plain red beans or plain black beans.
- Roasted green beans and roasted bell peppers.
- Oven-roasted sliced potatoes with garlic.
Variations
- Use skinless boneless chicken breasts or skinless boneless chicken thighs.
- Use small bell peppers or mini sweet peppers. Use 2 different colors, such as red and yellow. The recipe does not need a lot of sliced bell peppers. Add just enough bell peppers to cover the bottom of the baking dish.
- Make your own homemade Cajun spice or use a store-bought seasoning.
How to make Cajun seasoning
Combine these spices in a medium bowl and mix them together:
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon oregano
- ¼ teaspoon thyme
- ¼ teaspoon salt
How to make Cajun chicken
Below are step-by-step photos.
1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Place thinly sliced bell peppers on the bottom of the casserole dish.
3. Place chicken breasts on top so that the peppers will cook underneath the chicken.
4. Generously sprinkle Cajun seasoning all over the chicken breasts.
5. Sprinkle the chicken with minced garlic.
6. Top each chicken breast with 2 slices of cream cheese.
7. Top with shredded cheddar cheese.
8. Bake the chicken uncovered at 375 F in the preheated oven for 20-30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
9. Broil for 2 minutes, if desired.
10. To serve this baked Cajun chicken dinner, scoop the bell peppers from underneath the chicken. Place them around the chicken and on top.
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Cajun Chicken with Bell Peppers
Ingredients
Cajun Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon oregano
- ¼ teaspoon thyme
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Chicken
- 2 bell peppers , small, thinly sliced (or use mini sweet peppers)
- 4 chicken breasts , small
- 4 cloves garlic , minced
- 6 oz cream cheese , cold, refrigerated, and sliced into 8 slices
- ½ cup cheddar cheese , shredded
Instructions
How to make Cajun chicken seasoning
- Combine all seasoning ingredients in a small bowl. Mix to combine.
Cajun chicken
- Preheat oven to 375 F.
- Place thinly sliced bell peppers on the bottom of the casserole dish.
- Place chicken breasts on top (so that the peppers will cook underneath the chicken).
- Generously sprinkle Cajun seasoning all over the chicken breasts. You don't have to use all the seasoning. Top with minced garlic.
- Top each chicken breast with 2 slices of cream cheese.
- Top with shredded cheddar cheese.
- Bake the chicken uncovered at 375 F in the preheated oven for 20-30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
- Broil for 2 minutes, if desired.
- To serve, scoop the bell peppers from underneath the chicken. Place them evenly around the chicken and on top.
Notes
- The cooking time depends on the thickness of your chicken breasts.
- Store leftovers in airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Julia! I absolutely love this recipe. Not only is it incredibly easy to make, it tastes phenomenal! I have been cooking it for a few months now and every time I make extras to have left overs (it reheats so well, but I recommend heating the chicken for a bit first before reheating the bell peppers).
I have made it several ways (including cheese free) and it is always so so good.
Thank you for one of my new go-to recipes!!!
This was delicious! My chicken breasts were fairly big (I knew going into the recipe). I cooked it an extra 30min but soo good! Even my kids ate it. Will def make again!
Stacy, thank you for such a positive and enthusiastic comment - I appreciate it! 🙂 Glad you gave this recipe a try and enjoyed it!
Great dish. Thank you
Glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
I made the dish per directions. My resulting dish looked similar to others who posted - not as pretty as the picture posted in the recipe by the author. Appearance wise: the peppers were not as colorful, the cream cheese did not spread but rather browned in a clump. Flavor wise: my guys did say they liked it and would eat again but they did not gobble it up like when they really enjoy a meal. To me, it was nothing special and based on my family’s response, I would not make again. I even preseasoned the chicken with salt, pepper, the fresh garlic, and some fresh thyme. The cream cheese did not add any creaminess or richness as anticipated and the seasoning was rather bland. If looking for a fairly easy easy, cheap, one dish and average sort of meal to make, then this is a good dish.
Thank you for your feedback - very constructive and helpful!
Thank you, this recipe made my week!
Delicious, creamy and still not too heavy. Forgot the garlic, but still came out great!
Christina, I am very happy to hear the recipe was a success! Thank you for taking the time to share such a positive comment - it means a lot to me! 🙂
Could you exclude all the cheese from this recipe?
Yes, you can skip the cheese!
Delicious!!!! And so beautiful!
I agree! 🙂 Karen, I am glad you liked this recipe!
Could you use Greek yogurt or sour cream instead of the cream cheese?
I would use cream cheese because it adds creaminess and a nice creamy texture. I don't think Greek yogurt will work here.
Delish! I had thicker chicken breasts, so I pounded them down a bit to even them out for cooking and had to cook just a touch longer to get to temp. What a great, simple recipe for week nights! Pairing with a side of Cajun rice.
Thank you for sharing!
Jade, thank you so much for such a positive comment - I appreciate it! 🙂 Glad you've enjoyed the recipe, and pairing this dish with Cajun rice sounds so good!
We love the flavors of this, but ended up baking it for almost a full hour before the chicken was done. I even cut the breasts in half so they were thinner. I recommend increasing heat to 400* and starting with 35 minutes, then checking. It’s extremely frustrating to plan for dinner only to end up waiting an extra half an hour to eat!
So sorry to hear that the cooking times took longer. Did you use a preheated oven? Thank you for the feedback!