Baked Cajun Chicken Drumsticks and Potatoes – Delicious roasted chicken and potatoes made with aromatics and Cajun seasoning. This Cajun baked chicken dish is flavor-packed, easy, and ready in less than an hour. Perfect for weeknight dinners!
There is something incredibly comforting about roasted chicken and potatoes. Now that the weather is getting colder and the days are getting shorter, hearty meat and potato meals have been on my mind. Stick to the ribs type food is perfect for autumn nights, and this Cajun chicken bake is no exception.
Though roasted chicken is thought to have originated in France, it has become an American staple. I decided to put a Cajun spin on the classic dish. Louisiana cooking is heavily influenced by the French, as Cajun people are partially descended from French exiles.
Unlike typical French fare, Cajun cuisine is known for its liberal use of spices such as cayenne pepper and paprika. When you add these seasonings to chicken, it results in a flavorful dark crust that looks blackened! This inspired me to make baked Cajun chicken drumsticks and potatoes.
Ingredients You’ll Need
The ingredients needed for this recipe are quite simple, and you can use them again and again for different dishes. They are especially handy for other Cajun recipes!
You will need:
- Chicken – I use chicken drumsticks for this recipe, but any cut of chicken will work. Cajun chicken thighs, quarters, legs, breasts, or even a whole roasted chicken would be delicious!
- Potatoes – Red potatoes are a personal favorite. Russet, Yukon Gold, or fingerling potatoes are also great options for chicken and Cajun potatoes.
- Aromatics – Onions and garlic are the base for just about every savory recipe, and this dish is no exception. Use half an onion for seasoning the chicken and potatoes, and the other half for topping the dish as it hits the oven.
- White distilled vinegar, butter and oil – They add flavor and sumptuousness! The butter helps to make a rich sauce for the chicken and potatoes, as it mixes with all the seasoning.
- Herbs – Cajun cooking tends to feature thyme and oregano. Both fresh and dried herbs work well. I used dried herbs as that is what I tend to have on hand.
- Salt and Pepper – These two seasonings are mainstays in just about every kitchen. I like to use Diamond Crystal kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. The quantities of salt called for in the recipe below reflect the fact that kosher salt is less salty than table salt. I also add half of a Maggi seasoning cube for an extra burst of umami flavor, but feel free to leave that out.
- Cajun seasoning – Garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, thyme, and oregano are the cornerstone of Cajun and Creole cuisine. Mixing these spices together and adding them to proteins will get you the seasoned, blackened chicken you are looking for! I opt for garlic salt instead of powder and smoked paprika instead of regular, simply because I like the extra pizzazz it gives to chicken.
- Lemon – Lemon, chicken, and potatoes go together like white on rice! It adds tons of flavor and acid to the dish.
How to Make This Recipe: Step By Step Instructions
Clean and season the chicken – Use vinegar, aromatics, herbs, salt, pepper, and Cajun seasoning to flavor the drumsticks (Photo 1).
Season potatoes and place them in a greased baking dish – Add the same flavors to the potatoes as you did to the chicken (Photo 2).
Sear the chicken – Pan fry the chicken on both sides until browned. This will make the skin less fatty and add color and flavor to the poultry (Photo 3).
Roast the chicken and potatoes in a baking dish along with onion and lemon slices– Bake covered at 425 degrees for 30 minutes, add butter, and bake uncovered for another 20-30 minutes (until the chicken has reached 165 degrees) (Photo 4).
Sides for Baked Cajun Chicken Drumsticks and Potatoes
- Roasted Vegetables – Roast vegetables in the same pan or on a separate sheet tray 15-20 minutes before the chicken and potatoes are done! This makes for a complete oven meal in less than an hour. Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots, Maple Bacon Balsamic Brussels Sprouts, and Turkey Bacon Wrapped Asparagus are great options.
- Green Salad – Fresh greens provide balance to the rich flavors of roasted Cajun chicken and potatoes.
- Gravy – A delicious brown gravy made from the chicken pan drippings is perfect served over the juicy chicken and creamy Cajun potatoes.
Recipe Tips & Frequently Asked Questions
- Clean the chicken – Rubbing chicken with vinegar removes the filmy coating often found on the surface and adds additional flavor.
- Leave the skin on the chicken! – This keeps the meat juicy. Patting the chicken dry with a paper towel and pan searing it before roasting will help crisp up the skin.
- Adjust the seasonings to your liking – If you like less salt or more spice, change it to suit your tastes.
- Cover the dish with foil for part of cooking time – This allows the chicken and potatoes to cook through. You then uncover it to get color and crispiness. This helps avoid undercooked potatoes and dry, overcooked chicken.
- Allow the chicken to rest before eating – Once you remove the dish from the oven, cover it loosely with foil and allow it to sit for five to ten minutes. This will allow the chicken juices to redistribute, resulting in amazingly juicy chicken.
Baked Cajun Chicken Drumsticks and Potatoes Q&A
An oven safe baking tray or pan, food processor, and food thermometer are helpful for making this recipe.
They are pretty similar in both taste and look. If you are using a store bought spice brand, feel free to use them interchangeably for this recipe.
Because the potatoes are peeled and diced, they will cook through at the same time as the chicken. There is no need to boil them before roasting.
Yes, as long as the chicken is fully cooked. Cooking them together results in flavorful potatoes cooked in chicken drippings.
I bake chicken drumsticks at 425 degrees for about 50 minutes. This is based on my oven and how hot it gets. If you wish to bake them at a lower temperature, you will need to adjust baking times for the temperature to reach 165 degrees and the potatoes to be cooked through.
Cooked chicken can be refrigerated safely for 3-4 days and stored in the freezer for 2-6 months.
More Chicken Recipes To Enjoy
- Buffalo Chicken Wings
- Balsamic Chicken Cobb Salad
- Balsamic Chicken Caprese Sandwich
- West African One Pan Roasted Chicken and Potatoes
If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and rating below! I’d love to know what you think.
PrintBaked Cajun Chicken Drumsticks and Potatoes
Baked Cajun Chicken Drumsticks and Potatoes – Delicious roasted chicken and potatoes made with aromatics and Cajun seasoning. This Cajun baked chicken dish is flavor-packed, easy, and ready in less than an hour. Perfect for weeknight dinners!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 2 pounds skin on chicken drumsticks
- 2 pounds red potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar
- 3 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
- 2teaspoon garlic powder (or garlic salt, if desired)
- 2 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 yellow onion, thickly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 Maggi cube (optional)
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 lemon, sliced
- 1 to 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
Instructions
- Rub chicken drumsticks with vinegar and pat dry.
- Season chicken with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon each of pepper, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, and oregano.
- In a food processor, blend 1/2 onion, garlic cloves, Maggi (if using), red pepper flakes, and 1 tablespoon oil. The mixture will make about 1/4 cup.
- Add half of the onion garlic mixture to the chicken. Reserve the rest of the mixture.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and grease an oven safe baking pan with butter or nonstick spray.
- Add potatoes to baking pan. Season potatoes with 1 teaspoon each of salt, pepper, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme and oregano as well as the reserved onion garlic mixture.
- Heat a heavy bottomed skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil.
- Once the oil begins to shimmer, sear the chicken drumsticks for about 2-3 minutes per side (until chicken is browned and some of the fat in the skin has rendered).
- Remove the chicken from the skillet and place in baking pan on top of the potatoes. Add lemon slices and 1/2 sliced onion to the baking pan.
- Cover baking pan with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove pan from oven and remove foil. Turn chicken over and top potatoes with softened butter.
- Return pan to oven and cook for 20-30 minutes, until the chicken juices run clear and it has reached 165 degrees.
Notes
- Clean the chicken – Rubbing chicken with vinegar removes the filmy coating often found on the surface and adds additional flavor.
- Leave the skin on the chicken! – This keeps the meat juicy. Patting the chicken dry with a paper towel and pan searing it before roasting will help crisp up the skin.
- Adjust the seasonings to your liking – If you like less salt or more spice, change it to suit your tastes.
- Cover the dish with foil for part of cooking time – This allows the chicken and potatoes to cook through. You then uncover it to get color and crispiness. This helps avoid undercooked potatoes and dry, overcooked chicken.
- Allow the chicken to rest before eating – Once you remove the dish from the oven, cover it loosely with foil and allow it to sit for five to ten minutes. This will allow the chicken juices to redistribute, resulting in amazingly juicy chicken.
- Storing Leftovers – Cooked chicken can be refrigerated safely for 3-4 days and stored in the freezer for 2-6 months.
Keywords: Chicken recipes, one pan recipes, baked recipes
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