This Cajun Chicken Recipe makes a delicious and flavorful whole chicken that your family will love. And it's just as good as anything you'd buy in the store. Chicken recipes make dinner easy and this one is no exception.
With this recipe, you’ll roast up a chicken that's juicy on the inside, crispy on the outside, and packed with Cajun spices. It’s a cost-effective way to make a homemade version of a Cajun roasted chicken that rivals any store-bought option!
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I love that this recipe works for weekly family meals or a small gathering. It’s easy enough for casual dinners but tasty enough to share with guests. You'll also love this Picnic Chicken with BBQ Sauce.
Cajun Roast Chicken Recipe
This Cajun roasted chicken is perfect for those nights when you want a flavorful meal that feels a little more exciting than the usual. The Cajun brine gives the chicken incredible flavor while keeping it moist. The Cajun spice rub adds just the right amount of heat and seasoning.
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This recipe is super practical too. A whole chicken easily feeds a crowd when paired with simple sides like roasted vegetables, green beans, or a salad. Plus, if you get chicken on sale, making this at home is much cheaper than buying a prepared roasted chicken.
What To Serve With Cajun Chicken
A side of coleslaw can add a cool, creamy contrast to the spicy seasoning, balancing out the dish perfectly. You could also include some oven-roasted sweet potatoes for a touch of natural sweetness. Here are some of our favorite side dishes:
- Air Fryer Cajun Potatoes
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Best Side Dishes
- Cheesy Jalapeno Biscuits Recipe
- Jiffy Corn Pudding
Ingredients For Cajun Chicken Recipe
This cajun chicken recipe may seem like it needs a lot of ingredients, but most of them are the spices for the chicken. I love this combo of spices because they remind me of the flavor of Costco rotisserie chicken.
- Whole Chicken - I prefer organic free-range chicken.
- Butter - Room temperature. Provides flavor, helps the spice to adhere and helps to create the golden brown skin.
- Brown Sugar - Helps to balance the heat of the cajun spices.
- Smoked Paprika - Provides a smoky flavor to the chicken.
- Cayenne Pepper - Adds the heat. Add less for a less spicy chicken.
Best Chicken Roasting Tools
To make this Cajun roasted chicken, you’ll need a decent-sized roasting pan with a rack. If you don’t have one, a baking dish will work, but a rack helps the chicken cook evenly.
A meat thermometer will come in handy to make sure the chicken is done. Tongs are great for handling the chicken in a mess-free way.
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How To Roast a Cajun Spiced Chicken
Before making this chicken with cajun seasoning, you'll want to make the brine. The brine is important because it injects the chicken with flavor and helps it to stay moist and juicy while cooking.
To whip up the Cajun brine, grab a large bowl and combine all the brining ingredients with a cup of warm water. Give it a good stir until everything is fully dissolved.
Clean the chicken, removing and discarding the innards. Then put the chicken in a large bowl and cover it with the brine. I get my chicken from ButcherBox, which has the healthy, high-quality meat at great prices. Best of all, it's delivered to your door.
Fill the bowl with enough water to cover the chicken. Then cover the bowl with plastic wrap or foil and place it in the fridge. Let the chicken brine for 8-12 hours and make the Cajun rub by combining all the rubbing ingredients in a bowl.
When the chicken is done brining, remove it from the bowl. Rinse and pat dry. Place it on the rack in the roasting pan. Mix softened butter with Cajun rub and rub it on the chicken.
You'll want to bake the chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 165° F on a meat thermometer.
Doesn't that look yummy? The skin is crispy and delicious while the inside is so tender!
This Cajun-baked chicken recipe will taste moist and juicy, making it a hit with the whole family!
Tips For Roasted Cajun Chicken
Tip 1: Always use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken. It should reach 165°F at the thickest part of the thighs. This ensures your chicken is cooked perfectly - safe to eat but still juicy.
Tip 2: You can make the cajun spice mix in advance and keep it in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Tip 3: If you don't want to make a whole chicken, you can also use the cajun spice in the recipe on boneless skinless chicken breasts or skinless chicken thighs. This dish is very versatile!
FAQs For Whole Cajun Roast Chicken
I don't cover it while it is cooking, but I do cover it when it comes out of the oven while the juices redistribute through the meat.
You can! Cook on low heat for 6-8 hours. The skin will not get crispy as it will when you roast it, but you can always transfer the chicken to an oven to broil for 10 minutes.
Store leftover Cajun chicken in an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to 3 days. If you want to keep it longer, you can freeze it in freezer-safe bags for up to 2 months. To reheat, place it in an oven at 350°F until warmed through to help preserve its crispiness.
Cajun Recipes
People love Cajun recipes because of their bold flavors and easily accessible ingredients. Packed with a mix of spices like paprika, cayenne, and garlic, these dishes deliver just the right kick of heat. Here are some easy Cajun recipes we love:
- Cajun Sausage and Potatoes
- Cajun Crab Boil
- Cajun Red Beans and Rice Skillet
- Cajun Chicken & Rice Soup Recipe
Easy Dinner Recipes
📖 Recipe
Cajun Chicken Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 5-6 lb Whole Chicken
- ¼ Cup Butter room temperature
- Cajun Brine:
- ¼ Cup Coarse Salt
- 3 tablespoon Brown Sugar
- 2 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- 2 teaspoon Dried Oregano
- 2 teaspoon Ground Red Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- Water to cover the Chicken
Cajun Rub
- 3 tablespoon Coarse Salt
- 2 tablespoon Chili Powder
- 1 tablespoon Onion Powder
- 1 tablespoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Cumin
- 1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
- 1 tablespoon Dried Thyme
- 1 tablespoon Dried Basil
- 1 tablespoon Dried Oregano
- 1 tablespoon Dried Cilantro
- ¼ teaspoon White Pepper
- 2 teaspoon Black Pepper
- *Or your favorite Cajun Seasoning
Instructions
- To make the Cajun brine, pour the brining ingredients into a bowl with 1 cup of warm water. Stir until dissolved.
- Clean the chicken and remove and discard the innards. Place the chicken into a large bowl. Cover the chicken with the brine.
- Then add enough water to cover the chicken completely. Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator. Allow the chicken to brine 8-12 hours.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Remove the chicken from the brine and rinse it off and pat it dry. Place the chicken on a rack in a roasting pan.
- To make the Cajun rub, combine coarse salt, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, thyme, basil, oregano, cilantro, white pepper and black pepper. Mix well.
- Combine the softened butter with the Cajun Rub; rub it all over the chicken.
- Roast the chicken at 425° F for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350° F for an additional 20 minutes per pound. Bake the chicken to an internal temperature of 165° F at the thighs.
- Remove the chicken from the oven and cover the pan loosely with foil for 10-15 minutes to allow the juices to distribute throughout the meat.
- Slice and enjoy!
Notes
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken reaches 165°F in the thickest part of the thighs—perfectly cooked and juicy!
- Mix your Cajun spices ahead of time and store them in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
- Don’t feel like roasting a whole chicken? This spice mix works just as well on boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs—super versatile!
Tiera says
Do I need to add chicken broth at the bottom of my pan and do I cover the chicken when I bake it?
Vicky says
You do not need to add chicken broth to bottom of the pan, though you can if you want to. You only need to cover the loosely with foil for 10-15 minutes after you remove it from the oven to allow the juices to distribute throughout the meat.
Sue says
My husband practically lives on store bought roasted chicken, so this recipe will be a game changer for us!
Claudia Lamascolo says
Love these flavors this may be dinner tonight!
Jess says
Oh my goodness, YES! This is way more affordable to make at home and tastes so much better!
Danielle Wolter says
I love Cajun spice anything. This sounds so delicious I can't wait to try it!
Tania | Fit Foodie Nutter says
I love all the spices you've used here! It makes one delicious family meal!