Hello! What a beautiful day this is – a heavenly gift from the Lord above.
Can we talk a minute? Sort of went of the reservation with today’s recipe. I wanted to try a dry-mix for Cajun Dirty Rice. Problem was, the box called for a pound of ground beef (hence the “dirty” reference) but I wanted it as a bed for Cajun Chicken. What to do – what to do. That’s when the lights came on – add the Trinity of Cajun Cooking – onion, celery and bell peppers. Then to give it a slightly “muddy” look add Beef Stock. Wow – so glad I decided to doctor this boxed rice by following my own instincts. My guys loved it. There was just enough heat, texture and flavor to make this a truly special Hump Day Supper.
Hope you enjoy my rendition of Cajun Chicken over Dirty Rice as much as my family did. May the Good Lord bless you, watch over you and keep you safe always.
Cajun Chicken over Vegetable Dirty Rice
Cajun Chicken
1 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1/4 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes or to taste
1 teaspoon Garlic
1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
1/2 teaspoon White Pepper
1/2 teaspoon Onion Powder
1/2 teaspoon Dried Oregano
1/2 teaspoon Dried Thyme
3 large Chicken Breasts
Heat oven to 450 degrees. Lightly oil an 8-inch by 8-inch baking dish. Set aside.
Mix together the salt, cayenne pepper, crushed red peppers, garlic powder, paprika, pepper, onion powder, dried oregano, and dried thyme in a small ramekin. Rub the spice mix onto the chicken breast. Coat well.
Place chicken on the prepared baking dish; bake uncovered in the heated oven for 20 minutes.
Remove chicken from the oven, add chicken stock around the breasts to create a burst of steam; cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil. Return to the oven and continue to bake another 5 minutes or until cooked through.
Let chicken rest for 10 minutes in the covered baking pan.
New Orleans Style Vegetable Dirty Rice
1/2 Red Bell Pepper
1/4 Yellow Onion
1 Celery Rib
1 tablespoon Butter
1/2 tablespoon Cajun Seasoning
1 box New Orleans Style Dirty Rice
2 cups Beef Stock
Stem and seed bell pepper. Cut in half, reserve half for another purpose. Dice remaining half. Cut a quarter wedge from an onion, peel and dice. Trim and dice celery rib. Set aside.
In a sauce pot melt butter. Once foaming, add seasoning. Sauté the vegetables in the butter for a few minutes until tender-crisp. Add rice and seasoning package, stir to blend. Add beef stock. Cover, bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low, let simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat, let rest for 5 minutes.
To Serve:
Fluff rice, spread out on a serving platter to create a bed for the chicken.
Transfer chicken to a cutting board. Slice breasts and fan out over the bed of dirty rice.
Sweet buttery corn gives this Cajun Supper beutiful contrast.
With joy we will draw water
at the fountain of salvation.
