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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.
Other Recipes You Might Enjoy
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
Nutrition Disclaimer:
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.
Loved this easy recipe! So delicious! I did let the chicken sit with the seasoning rub for a bit before adding to the dish. I also added chopped cauliflower to the bell peppers and some thinly sliced onion. The cauliflower took on the bell pepper flavors and was awesome! Thanks for sharing this one dish crowd pleaser!
Thank you for your enthusiasm, Heather! I LOVE the addition of cauliflower!
This recipe is wonderfully delicious, easy and quick to put together.
One of my families favorite
I am so happy to hear that, Susan! 🙂
One of my favorites!!
So happy you liked it, Ellen!
What side dishes would you pair with this? I love this recipe, I just feel it's missing something!
Amber, this would be good with:
1) Roasted spaghetti squash - a nice, low-carb alternative to regular pasta.
2) Pasta - orzo, angel hair, spaghetti, store-bought ravioli or tortellini
3) Rice - regular, flavored or wild rice
You might like this cilantro-lime black bean rice as a side dish:
https://juliasalbum.com/cilantro-lime-black-bean-rice/
So delicious our family loved it
Joan, thank you for the feedback and the 5-star rating! ❤️
I made this for my lunch today! It was delicious. Thank you for sharing the recipe. I made a few simple changes by swapping out the cream cheese to Neufchatel cheese (33% less fat) and the cheddar cheese to reduced fat cheddar cheese. I’m on Weight Watchers and this works out to only 6 pts which is great! This recipe is a keeper and simple to make! Thank you again!
Oh my! So yummy! Mine wasn’t nearly as pretty, but meh! Paired with cold quinoa, black beans, cilantro, cumin, lime juice, red onion and tomato simple little
Mixture. Absolutely a crowd pleaser!
I made this night and it was very good. The chicken was moist and the peppers cooked but still firm with a crunch. It's definitely a keeper. Thanks for the recipe!
Absolutely LOVE this recipe! My husband suggested adding fresh sliced jalepenos.
I highly recommend. I seasoned both sides of chicken before placing on top of
peppers.
Robyn, thank you for your wonderful feedback!
This recipe gets a 10 star rating. My husband raved about it and I'll
definitely make it again. Toward the end of the cooking he suggested
I add some fresh sliced jalepenos...I highly recommend! I did season both
sides of the chicken before placing on top of the peppers.
Robyn, thank you so much for your rave review - I so appreciate it! ❤️
If I could give this recipe a 10 star review I would. This dish is so simple but tastes like hours of work. I have made it probably 10 times and have shared it over and over. Thank you so much!!!
Kelli, your comment made my day! 🙂 Thank you for your rave review! ❤️
I don't write reviews. BUT THIS is the absolute perfect quick, easy, and DELICIOUS meal. I've recently started focusing on clean foods/meals over calorie counting and obsessing over the little things. It's so refreshing to have juicy, creamy chicken with such natural and basic ingredients. Thanks for the recipe, this will definitely be made once a week! (I used 3 peppers as well: orange, red, yellow and I loved it.)
Haley, thank you for taking the time to share such a wonderful and thoughtful comment. 🙂 I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe. 🙂
This is yummy! and easy to make- I like peppers so I added a third one (red-orange-yellow) otherwise I made it as written here with Julia's recipe for Cilantro-lime and black bean rice. as a side ..a perfect combination
Rachael, thank you for this glowing review! 🙂 Love that you served this with my cilantro-lime black bean rice - what a perfect combo!
This is maybe one of the best recipes I've made in terms of easiness and deliciousness! I drizzled some balsamic reduction on top and it was fantastic. It was also incredibly easy - I typically cook in my house because my parents hate to cook, so I love that this recipe is so easy because they could make it on nights I'm busy. 100% going to become a go-to in my house.
Stefanie, I am so flattered by your comment - thank you for taking the time to share it with me! 🙂 Glad you love this recipe and I love the addition of the balsamic reduction on top - delish!
I’m out of cream cheese! Do you think mozzarella would be okay? Or it will probably burn the top??
Taylor, Mozzarella would work great!
1)
If you use fresh Mozzarella balls or logs, slice them really thick so that they hold up to the heat. Like I did in this recipe:
Basil Pesto Tomato Mozzarella Chicken Bake
2)
or, Use a rectangular block of Mozzarella cheese and shred it or use pre-shredded Mozzarella. It should be labeled as low-moisture, part-skim.