Baked Cajun Chicken Thighs
Bold and flavorful, these Baked Cajun Chicken Thighs are the perfect option for a quick and easy weeknight dinner.
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Amazing for busy weeknights and Sunday dinners alike, these juicy chicken thighs are seasoned with a mouthwatering combination of spices for an all-in-one meal that comes together without fuss.
Why this Recipe Works
This chicken dish has big flavor and minimal effort. Cajun seasoning does the heavy lifting, so you get bold, smoky, slightly spicy chicken without a long ingredient list.
The end result is a filling and satisfying chicken dinner that you can easily throw together any night of the week! Adjust the seasonings to your liking to create the perfect blend and put an amazing meal on the table every time.
And for even more delicious dishes with Cajun-inspired flavors, try my Cajun Dirty Rice or my Cajun Grilled Chicken Burrito Bowls!
Ingredients Needed
- Seasonings: A combination of Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt and black pepper give your chicken lots of flavor! You can also add some red pepper flakes for additional heat.
- Chicken Thighs: I prefer to use skin-on chicken thighs for some extra flavor, but boneless skinless chicken thighs can also be used if you prefer.
- Bell Peppers: Use a combination of pepper colors or all of the same.
- Onion: White or yellow works fine.
- Garlic: Fresh minced garlic will give you the best flavor, but jarred garlic is good in a pinch for a shortcut.
How to Make this Baked Cajun Chicken
- Step 1: In a small bowl, combine all of the spices.
- Step 2: Pat the chicken thighs dry and rub with olive oil. Coat both sides evenly with the seasoning blend.
- Step 3: Add the peppers, onions, and garlic to an oven-safe skillet or baking dish.
- Step 4: Add the chicken pieces in a single layer over the veggies and add butter. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes at 400 degrees F, then serve and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- This dish can also be made with boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but you'll need to reduce the cooking time as cooking times vary between cuts of chicken.
- Feel free to switch up the colors of the bell peppers.
- Different Cajun seasonings contain different levels of salt, so give it a taste before deciding how much salt to add to the homemade seasoning blend.
- If you have leftover chicken, transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.
- You can freeze the chicken thighs for a month or longer, but the veggies may not freeze and reheat as well.
- To reheat chicken, bake at 350 until heated through again.
Recipe FAQ's
Use a digital meat thermometer to check for an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees F to ensure the chicken is fully cooked.
Most Cajun spices contain some combination of paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, thyme, salt and black pepper. If you want to control the ratios, you can make your own Cajun blend!
More Baked Chicken Recipes
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Baked Cajun Chicken Thighs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2-3 tablespoons cajun seasoning
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- 6 bone in skin on chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup red bell pepper sliced
- 1 cup yellow bell pepper sliced
- 1 cup green bell pepper sliced
- 1 small white onion sliced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 4 tablespoons butter cut into slices
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- In a small bowl mix the cajun seasoning, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes until combined.
- Place your chicken thigh on a cutting board and pat dry with paper towels. rub olive oil over both sides of the chicken thighs. Evenly sprinkle the seasoning onto both sides of the chicken and try and get some under the skin.
- In an oven safe skillet or 9x13 baking dish add the bell peppers, onions and garlic
- Place the seasoned chicken thighs on top of the peppers and onions. Add the butter pieces on top.
- Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes. Or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
Notes
- Chicken breasts can be used, but you will need to adjust the cooking time.
- Any combination of bell peppers will work.
- Cajun seasoning has different salt levels I recommend tasting it prior and leaving the additional salt out if needed.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
