Cajun Chicken and Rice — One of Our Favorite Cajun Food Recipes! (2024)

FAQs

What do you eat with Louisiana dirty rice? ›

I like serving my dirty rice as a side with fried or baked fish, with red beans and sausage, or with smothered okra and barbecued, baked, or fried chicken or pork chops. Or, sometimes, I like to serve it in a big bowl on its own, with a garnish of green onion or chopped parsley.

Aside from classics like salt, pepper, basil and garlic, you could try using chilli powder, ginger, cumin, cayenne, paprika, oregano, sage, rosemary and thyme.

The official state cuisine shall be gumbo. Its use on the official documents of the state and with the insignia of the state is hereby authorized.

The humble dish of rice may not seem like much, but jambalaya should never be underestimated as one of the most delicious dishes in town. You can find this classic dish at a number of New Orleans restaurants (see listings below), or you can try your hand at cooking it in your own kitchen.

Add a touch of spice to your chicken breast by combining paprika, cinnamon, turmeric, cumin, ginger, garlic and olive oil to create a paste. Then cover your chicken breast with the paste and pat down to secure.

Use a brine

Brining your chicken is a foolproof way to not only add flavour to your roast but also to ensure you don't overcook the meat. Essentially a mix of salt, sugar and water, we love adding herbs, garlic or whole spices such as fennel and cumin to flavour the brine.

Before adding a dry rub, the chicken should be fully defrosted. Place the protein in a baking pan to avoid the spread of bacteria and blot it with paper towels to absorb excess juices. Once dry, drizzle olive oil on the chicken to help the spices stick.

Dirty Rice is a hearty meal alone, but you could also serve it with a green salad, okra, Swiss chard, tomato cucumber salad, artisan bread or skillet cornbread.

Cajun boudin is a bit like dirty rice stuffed in a sausage casing, and in fact you can use it as a filling for boudin if you want — if you do, use the method where you cook the rice in the other ingredients, so it all sticks together better.

Gumbo is traditionally served over steamed white rice (and sometimes potato salad!), with sliced scallions and hot sauce on the side. But there's another important finishing touch: Filé ("FEE-lay") powder, which is made from sassafras leaves. It is typically sprinkled on individual servings to thicken and season gumbo.

What to serve with New Orleans red beans and rice? ›

The best side dishes to serve with red beans and rice are corn on the cob, pulled pork, brats, shrimp boil, green beans with bacon, London broil, country style ribs, coleslaw, fried okra, cornbread, Cajun shrimp skewers, deviled eggs, collard greens, biscuits, chicken wings, and Andouille sausage.