This easy and flavorful Cajun chicken recipe from Jamie Oliver is a simple one-pan meal that’s perfect for a quick weeknight dinner. With tender chicken, roasted vegetables, and fluffy basmati rice, it’s a tasty, nutritious dish that can be adapted with whatever vegetables you have on hand.
Ingredients Needed
- 2 red onions
- 3 mixed-colour peppers
- 4 chicken legs, skin-on, bone-in
- 1 tablespoon (approx. 15g) Cajun seasoning
- 4 cloves of garlic
- Olive oil
- 1 tablespoon (approx. 15ml) red wine vinegar
- 1 mug (300g / 10.5oz) of basmati rice
- 4 tablespoons (approx. 60g / 2oz) natural yoghurt
- Optional: extra virgin olive oil
How To Make Cajun Chicken
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6.
- Prepare the vegetables: Peel and halve the onions. Tear the peppers into large chunks, discarding the seeds and stalks.
- Assemble in a roasting tray: Place the onions, peppers, chicken legs, Cajun seasoning, and unpeeled garlic cloves into a 35cm x 25cm roasting tray (approx. 14in x 10in).
- Season and toss: Drizzle with 1 tablespoon each of olive oil and red wine vinegar. Season with black pepper, then toss everything together, ensuring the chicken is skin-side up.
- Roast the chicken and vegetables: Place the tray in the oven and roast for 40 minutes.
- Add rice: Boil the kettle. Once the 40 minutes are up, remove the tray from the oven. Mash the soft garlic cloves into the tray juices, discarding the skins. Add 1 mug of rice (300g / 10.5oz) and 2 mugs of boiling water (600ml / 20oz) around the chicken.
- Cover and cook: Cover with tin foil and return the tray to the oven for another 20 minutes, or until the rice is fluffy and the chicken pulls easily from the bone.
- Serve: Season to taste, then serve with dollops of natural yoghurt, a pinch of black pepper, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (optional).
Recipe Tips
- Use skin-on chicken legs: The skin helps keep the chicken juicy while it roasts, making it more flavorful and tender.
- Don’t skip the garlic: Roasting the garlic with the chicken adds a rich, sweet flavor to the dish. Make sure to mash it into the juices for extra taste.
- Boil the kettle before adding rice: Using boiling water speeds up the cooking process and helps the rice cook evenly with the chicken and vegetables.
- Cover with foil when baking rice: The foil traps moisture, ensuring the rice cooks perfectly without drying out.
How To Store And Reheat Leftovers?
- Refrigerate: Let the leftover Cajun chicken cool to room temperature, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge. It will stay fresh for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: You can freeze Cajun chicken in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw it in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- Reheat: Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Place the chicken and rice in an oven-safe dish, cover with foil, and heat for 20-25 minutes until warmed through.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 600
- Total Fat: 38.7g
- Saturated Fat: 16.1g
- Cholesterol: 115mg
- Sodium: 785mg
- Potassium: 1221mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 8.9g
- Dietary Fiber: 1.5g
- Sugars: 3.5g
- Protein: 53.1g
Try More Jamie Oliver Recipes:
- Jamie Oliver Air Fryer Whole Chicken
- Jamie Oliver Chicken Saag Recipe
- Jamie Oliver Chicken Leek Risotto
- Jamie Oliver Chicken In Tomato Sauce
Jamie Oliver Cajun Chicken
Description
This easy and flavorful Cajun chicken recipe from Jamie Oliver is a simple one-pan meal that’s perfect for a quick weeknight dinner. With tender chicken, roasted vegetables, and fluffy basmati rice, it’s a tasty, nutritious dish that can be adapted with whatever vegetables you have on hand.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6.
- Prepare the vegetables: Peel and halve the onions. Tear the peppers into large chunks, discarding the seeds and stalks.
- Assemble in a roasting tray: Place the onions, peppers, chicken legs, Cajun seasoning, and unpeeled garlic cloves into a 35cm x 25cm roasting tray (approx. 14in x 10in).
- Season and toss: Drizzle with 1 tablespoon each of olive oil and red wine vinegar. Season with black pepper, then toss everything together, ensuring the chicken is skin-side up.
- Roast the chicken and vegetables: Place the tray in the oven and roast for 40 minutes.
- Add rice: Boil the kettle. Once the 40 minutes are up, remove the tray from the oven. Mash the soft garlic cloves into the tray juices, discarding the skins. Add 1 mug of rice (300g / 10.5oz) and 2 mugs of boiling water (600ml / 20oz) around the chicken.
- Cover and cook: Cover with tin foil and return the tray to the oven for another 20 minutes, or until the rice is fluffy and the chicken pulls easily from the bone.
- Serve: Season to taste, then serve with dollops of natural yoghurt, a pinch of black pepper, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (optional).
Notes
- Use skin-on chicken legs: The skin helps keep the chicken juicy while it roasts, making it more flavorful and tender.
- Don’t skip the garlic: Roasting the garlic with the chicken adds a rich, sweet flavor to the dish. Make sure to mash it into the juices for extra taste.
- Boil the kettle before adding rice: Using boiling water speeds up the cooking process and helps the rice cook evenly with the chicken and vegetables.
- Cover with foil when baking rice: The foil traps moisture, ensuring the rice cooks perfectly without drying out.
Jamie Oliver Cajun Chicken