These Cajun Stuffed Chicken Breasts might be just the thing to bring a little sunshine into your life during this cold, cold January. These are like Oh My Gosh good, with just a little spice to warm things up.
Stuffed Cajun Chicken Breasts
Cajun Stuffed Chicken Breasts are stuffed with the classic New Orleans’ Trinity of onion, celery & bell peppers and of course, there’s cheese is in there too, just for fun. And then to complement all that goodness inside, a little Cajun Spice (I gotta put a plug in for my own recipe) is sprinkled on like magic dust, but my version of Emeril’s Essence is good, too. Well, you can see how good they are just by the pictures! And in spite of the name, I want to note that no Cajuns were harmed in the making of this dish!
About Cajun Stuffed Chicken Breasts:
Cajun Stuffed Chicken Breasts do have a bit of prep, so maybe they’re not the best recipe for a busy weeknight, but the good news – they can be made ahead and refrigerated and ready to cook when you want. They’re really very do-able.
I like that they’re just “fancy” enough for company or a celebration dinner, but they’re made from everyday, ordinary (read “not expensive”) ingredients. You might even have everything you need to make these right in your pantry and/or fridge.
Stuffed Cajun Chicken Breasts
Variations on Cajun Stuffed Chicken Breasts:
These Cajun Stuffed Chicken Breasts are classic N’awlins but it would be so easy to change up the flavors by making minor changes in the recipe. You could go with Italian by using Mozzarella and Italian Herbs, or go Greek with Feta and Greek Seasoning. You get the idea!
Since I’m making this recipe in January and thinking healthy, I didn’t saute up any bacon for the stuffing, but you sure could. You could also make a quick pan sauce if you want to be all fancy pants!
Just remove chicken when done and right in the pan, saute the other half of the onion, minced, along with a little garlic until softened. Add about 1/2 cup white wine and deglaze the pan. Add 1/2 cup chicken stock, simmer until slightly reduced.
Saving Money on Cajun Stuffed Chicken Breasts:
I always recommend using a coupon matching site, even for items that normally don’t have coupons. Every store has an enthusiastic group of couponers who find the best deals of the week.
Watch the pricing of your chicken and buy and freeze when it’s at a low. There’s no sense in paying $4.99 a pound when you can find it at 99 cents a pound on sale.
Bell peppers go on sale regularly and keep well enough to buy enough for your current week and the next. Green peppers are almost always less than the brightly colored peppers.
Any cheese will do for this recipe, especially if it will get soft and melty. Grocery store cheese keeps well & can be frozen (it will get crumbly) so it’s another item to stock up on when on sale.
Stuffed Cajun Chicken Breasts
Cajun Stuffed Chicken Breasts
- 2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
- 1/2 small onion, diced finely
- 1 smallish stock celery, diced finely, abt 1/4 cup
- 1 bell pepper, diced finely
- 4 large chicken breasts
- 1/2 cup shredded cheese, try cheddar, provolone or pepper jack
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning, store-bought or home-made
- 1 green onion for garnish, thinly sliced
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Using an ovenproof skillet large enough to hold the four chicken breasts, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onion, celery & bell pepper for several minutes, until just starting to soften and onion is translucent. Remove from skillet and set aside.
While the vegetables are cooking, slice chicken breasts, horizontally, from the thick side towards the edge, making sure to keep them intact. Open like a book: to make them lay flat, make a few shallow slices, being careful not to slice through, in the thickest part of the breast. Using a meat pounder, gently pound out to about 3/8ths inch thick.
Divide the cheese among the four breasts, leaving 1/2 inch border around the outside edges. Divide vegetable mixture in the same way. Roll up and secure with toothpicks, weaving them through the long way. Season generously with Cajun seasoning and rub in.
Heat the remaining olive oil and add the chicken breasts, seam side up, partially turning so nicely browned across the tops and sides. Turn over and place in oven for about 20 minutes until a thermometer registers 165 degrees.
Rest for a few minutes and slice into medallions if desired or serve whole. Sprinkle with green onion if desired.
Note: If you’d like this cheesier, mix grated cheese with about 2 ounces of room temperature cream cheese, then spread the mixture on the breasts.
make a few shallow cuts so breast lies flat
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I’ll be posting this recipe at Fiesta Friday #206, co-hosted this week by Shinta @ Caramel Tinted Life and Diann @ Of Goats and Greens.
So how about you? Do you make Stuffed Chicken Breasts and have favorite flavor combinations? I have several on my site, here, and one of my favorites is the Healthy Feta & Spinach Stuffed Chicken, below.
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