Recipe Background
Dinner is gonna be fun tonight! Serving this Crazy Cajun Skillet can only lead to good flavors and even better times. The Cajun-crusted chicken nestled into the creamy, citrusy orzo concoction will certainly create a party in your mouth. Get ready for great vibes and even better tastes with the Crazy Cajun Skillet!
Dinner is gonna be fun tonight! Serving this Crazy Cajun Skillet can only lead to good flavors and even better times. The Cajun-crusted chicken nestled into the creamy, citrusy orzo concoction will certainly create a party in your mouth. Get ready for great vibes and even better tastes with the Crazy Cajun Skillet!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken breasts boneless and skinless
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning blend divided
- fresh thyme springs to taste
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup orzo
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons white wine
- 1/2 lemon freshly squeezed
- 2 cups kale chopped
- 1/3 cup parmesan grated, plus more, to taste
- lemon slices optional, to taste, for garnish
Directions
- In a large bowl, add the chicken breasts, the salt, the paprika, 1 tablespoon of the Cajun seasoning, and the thyme sprigs and mix until the meat is fully coated.
- Let the chicken breasts marinate at room temperature, about 5-10 minutes.
- In a deep skillet or pot over medium-high heat, add the butter and the oil and heat until the butter has melted.
- Add the garlic to the butter mixture and sauté until it is fragrant and translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the marinated chicken breasts to the garlic mixture and sear on each side, about 3-4 minutes per side.
- Transfer the browned chicken breasts to a plate. Note: It is okay for the chicken to not be fully cooked.
- In the same skillet, add the orzo, the chicken stock, and the remaining Cajun seasoning and stir until it is combined.
- Evenly nestle the browned chicken breasts into the orzo mixture, then bring to a boil. Cook, about 1 minute.
- Reduce the heat and simmer the chicken mixture, about 15 minutes.
- Add the heavy cream, the white wine, the lemon juice, and the kale to the chicken mixture and gently stir to incorporate without disturbing the chicken breasts too much.
- Simmer the chicken mixture until the chicken breasts reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, the orzo is fully cooked, and the liquid has reduced, about 5-10 minutes.
- Evenly sprinkle 1/3 cup of the parmesan over the chicken mixture and gently stir to incorporate without disturbing the chicken breasts.
- Cook the chicken mixture, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer the skillet from the heat.
- Serve the chicken mixture topped with the extra parmesan and the lemon slices.
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