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Creamy Cajun Chicken And Rice Bowls

Creamy Cajun chicken and rice bowls with a rich Cajun cream sauce that coats the back of a spoon. Sautéed bell pepper and garlic, simmered corn, and tender sliced chicken served over fluffy long-grain rice.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Southern
Calories: 760
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

chicken breast
  • 1.5 lb chicken breast, sliced thin
long grain rice
  • 2 cup long grain rice, cooked
red bell pepper
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
corn kernels
  • 1 cup corn kernels
garlic
  • 4 clove garlic, minced
cajun seasoning
  • 2 tbsp Cajun seasoning, divided
heavy cream
  • 1 cup heavy cream
chicken broth
  • 1 cup chicken broth
cream cheese
  • 4 oz cream cheese, cubed
butter
  • 2 tbsp butter
smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
green onions and parsley
  • 1 Green onions and parsley for serving
salt
  • 0.25 tsp Salt to taste

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook the Cajun chicken
  1. Season the sliced chicken breast with 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning and salt to taste. Heat the butter in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and cook the chicken for 4-5 minutes per side until cooked through with browned edges.
  2. Remove the chicken from the pan and slice if needed into bite-size pieces. Set aside while you make the sauce so the juices stay in the pieces.
Make the Cajun cream sauce
  1. Sauté the diced red bell pepper and minced garlic in the same skillet for 3 minutes, stirring until fragrant and slightly softened. Add the remaining Cajun seasoning and the smoked paprika and cook for 30-60 seconds until fragrant.
  2. Pour in the chicken broth and heavy cream, stirring to loosen the browned bits. Reduce to a gentle simmer and stir in the cubed cream cheese until fully melted and smooth, with no visible lumps.
  3. Add the corn kernels and simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce is creamy and visibly coats the back of a spoon. Keep the heat at a low simmer so it thickens without scorching.
Assemble bowls
  1. Serve the creamy sauce over the cooked long grain rice in each bowl, letting it pool slightly around the rice. Top with sliced Cajun chicken and finish with green onions and parsley for serving.

Notes

Pro tip: If the sauce thickens too much before serving, stir in 1-3 tbsp chicken broth to loosen it to a spoon-coating consistency. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days in an airtight container; reheat gently in a skillet over low heat with a splash of broth. Freezing is not recommended because cream cheese sauces can break after thawing. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream and reduce simmer time slightly to prevent curdling.