Cajun Butter Chicken

Juicy chicken breasts and tender potatoes tossed in a spicy Cajun butter sauce and baked to perfection in one pan.  Sheet pan chicken and potatoes are an easy dinner that your family will love. Ready in under an hour!

Welcome to My Kitchen Serenity!  I'm happy to share with you this super easy Cajun butter chicken recipe.  I especially love this for an easy weeknight meal.  Cooking the chicken and potatoes in one pan is a huge time saver.  Plus, this main dish offers you juicy chicken and creamy tender potatoes seasoned to perfection!

This recipe was originally published in 2020 and was updated in 2024 with new pics!

Why You'll Love This

Do you love foods that have a lot of flavor and a hint of heat?  Do you love foods that are very spicy? Either way, this Cajun baked chicken is for you because the heat level is completely adjustable.  

Sheet pan dinners are a great choice when you want the ease and convenience of baking everything in one pan at the same time.  Plus, clean up is a breeze!

Not a fan of spicy food?  The kids aren't fans of cayenne pepper? Or maybe indigestion or heartburn from spicy foods cause you to shy away from them.  No worries; we got options!  This recipe can be toned down considerably. 

However, toned down doesn't mean flavorless!  Just omit the cayenne pepper, black pepper, and chili powder.  This recipe is very good without the spicy seasonings and can be very kid-friendly.  I want the whole family to enjoy this delicious meal!

When made as is, the chicken and potatoes are not over-the-top spicy so don't let the word "spicy" make you run away!   Then again, I suppose what's mild to one person may be super spicy to another.  The beauty of it is, you have complete control over the level of heat! 

Potato Alternatives

I used red potatoes because I had a giant bag of them.  Yukon or russet would work well, too.  Other alternatives include:  turnips, sweet potatoes, parsnips, carrots, and rutabagas (of course, rutabagas would need to be cut into much smaller pieces since they are firmer than potatoes).

What is Cajun Butter Sauce?

The seasoning is the star of the recipe.  It begins with an olive oil and butter base.  Then we add a hint of lemon and Worcestershire (or Wooster as my family calls it) sauce.  Finally, we add all the wonderful seasonings (Cayenne Pepper, Smoked Paprika, Chili Powder, Onion Powder, Oregano, Salt, and Pepper) to create a flavor explosion!

We make the "sauce" to toss the chicken and potatoes in.  It's not quite a marinade per se, but you could use it as a marinade.  Since there's melted butter in the sauce, if you chose to use it as a marinade, the butter will make the sauce much thicker when it gets cold.  Actually, it's a good thing because the sauce will adhere to the chicken and potatoes nicely.

Marinating Option

Marinating is not necessary for this recipe since the chicken cooks up juicy and flavorful.  However, I understand that a lot of people (and I'm one of them) like to prep ahead of time.  Say, mix everything up in the morning, then bake it when they get home later.  This is a perfect recipe for that. 

Keep in mind that refrigerating it all day will cause the butter to harden so the sauce will look, well, thick like butter!  But when it's time to bake it, all the sauce will beautifully melt all over the chicken and potatoes. 

Cajun Seasoning Blend

What makes this recipe "Cajun" is the ingredients in the seasoning.  Most all Cajun seasonings contain at least the following:  cayenne pepper, garlic,  onion powder, paprika, salt, black pepper, and oregano. 

Having said that, there are many different "variations" of Cajun seasoning.  Plus, there are just as many Cajuns who will argue with you about it LOL.  My maternal and paternal grandparents, and many generations before them, were born and raised in St. James Parish, Louisiana, so I know how it is 🙂

Ingredients You'll Need

Chicken Breasts - you'll need 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts.

Red Potatoes - no need to peel the potatoes; just slice them into wedges.

Olive Oil - binds the flavors of the marinade and helps the seasonings stick to the meat and potatoes.

Butter - without butter, it would not be butter chicken!

Lemon Juice - the citrus acid helps to tenderize the chicken and adds flavor.

Worcestershire Sauce - adds a tangy, savory flavor.

Jarred Minced Garlic - or chop about 2 cloves of freshly peeled garlic.

Cajun seasoning blend - homemade blend made of Cayenne Pepper, Smoked Paprika, Chili Powder, Onion Powder, Oregano, Salt, and Pepper.

Ingredient Substitutions

• Boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of breasts. Add some sliced sausage to the sheet pan as well!
• Yukon or russet potatoes instead of red potatoes.  Other alternatives include:  turnips, sweet potatoes, parsnips, carrots, or rutabagas. You'll want to use a veggie that will cook in about the same amount of time as the chicken.
• Red wine vinegar or soy sauce instead of Worcestershire Sauce.
• Store-bought Cajun seasoning mix instead of making your own.

How to Make Cajun Butter Chicken

I like to add potatoes to this recipe for an easy sheet pan meal!

Step 1 - Prepare the butter sauce small sauce pan over medium heat.  Bring to a boil then remove from heat. Let cool for 5-10 minutes.

Step 2 - Place the chicken and potatoes in a bowl. Carefully add the sauce to the chicken and potato mixture.  Toss to thoroughly coat the chicken and potatoes.

Step 3 - Remove chicken and potatoes from the bowl and place on a rimmed baking sheet.  Drizzle any remaining seasoning mixture over the chicken and potatoes. 

Step 4 - Bake unt il the chicken is no longer pink and the potatoes are tender. Serve Cajun Butter Chicken with your favorite sides.  

What to Serve With Cajun Butter Chicken

Serve with crusty French bread and a green side salad.  Steamed broccoli is also a great choice.  During grilling season, check out my Southern Grilled Corn on the Cob!

Leftover Ideas

• The leftover chicken is fabulous when shredded and served on top of a green salad.
• Roll up chicken in a tortilla wrap and add your favorite items like lettuce, tomato, cheese, etc.

Storing Leftovers

Leftovers should be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.