Cajun Chicken Bowl (Printable Version)

Flavor-packed Cajun chicken served over rice with beans, corn, and peppers

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1.1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
02 - 1.5 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
03 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
04 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
05 - 0.25 teaspoon black pepper

→ Rice

06 - 1 cup long-grain white rice
07 - 2 cups water
08 - 0.5 teaspoon salt

→ Vegetables and Beans

09 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
10 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
11 - 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
12 - 1 small red onion, diced
13 - 1 cup sweet corn kernels, fresh or frozen
14 - 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed

→ Garnishes

15 - 1 avocado, sliced
16 - Fresh cilantro, chopped
17 - Lime wedges

# How-To:

01 - Rinse rice under cold water. In a medium saucepan, combine rice, water, and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until rice is tender and water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
02 - In a medium bowl, toss chicken pieces with Cajun seasoning, salt, and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook 5–7 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and let rest 2 minutes, then slice.
03 - In the same skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add bell peppers and red onion. Sauté 4–5 minutes until softened. Stir in corn and black beans, cook 2 minutes until heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
04 - Divide cooked rice evenly among 4 bowls. Top each with sautéed vegetables and beans, then sliced chicken. Garnish with avocado slices, fresh cilantro, and lime wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's ready in under 45 minutes, making weeknight cooking feel less like a chore and more like something you actually want to do.
  • Every element hits separately but sings together, so you get chicken, vegetables, and beans all in perfect proportion without overthinking it.
  • The Cajun seasoning does the heavy lifting, transforming simple ingredients into something that tastes way more complicated than it actually is.
02 -
  • Don't skip letting the rice rest covered for 5 minutes after cooking—that's when the last bit of steam finishes the job and makes it actually fluffy instead of dense.
  • The Cajun seasoning is doing most of the flavor work, so quality matters here; a sad, old seasoning blend will taste like cardboard no matter what you do with it.
03 -
  • Let your chicken rest for just a minute or two after cooking before slicing—it keeps the juices from running all over your cutting board and your finished bowl.
  • Don't be precious about the vegetables; if your bell peppers are already sliced or your corn is frozen, use them—the goal is dinner, not perfection.
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