Smoky, zesty, and loaded with flavor, this Louisiana chicken creole recipe is an easy one-skillet meal for busy nights. Serve the chicken and veggies over rice, with a loaf of crusty bread for scooping, or with a crisp green salad.
Table of Contents
If you love Cajun and Creole-inspired dinners, check out these Cajun pork chops, a pan of dump-and-bake Cajun sausage pasta, a pot of chicken and sausage jambalaya, our favorite chicken and sausage gumbo, and this authentic New Orleans red beans and rice, too!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Easy. This meal comes together with simple, easy-to-find, affordable ingredients. Best of all, it only requires a single skillet so you have fewer dishes to wash at the end!
- Healthy. Sure there’s a little bit of bacon for flavor, but the base of this dish is lean protein and vegetables, making it a light-yet-satisfying option. You can pair the chicken and sauce with rice or bread to make it even more filling, enjoy it on its own with a salad for a lower-calorie option, or pair it with cauliflower rice for another nutritious grain-free side.
- Full of Flavor. This Chicken creole recipe is loaded with great flavor, thanks to the “holy trinity” of veggies — celery, bell pepper, and onion — as well as garlic, Creole seasoning, herbs, chili sauce, and smoky bacon. It’s sweet, savory, tangy, a little spicy, and full of satisfying texture.
History
Chicken Creole has its roots in the culinary traditions of Louisiana, particularly in the vibrant and diverse Creole culture that emerged in New Orleans. It’s a delicious manifestation of the convergence of African, Spanish, French, and Native American influences that characterize Creole cuisine.
The exact origins of Chicken Creole are challenging to pinpoint, as it evolved over time through the creative fusion of ingredients and cooking techniques. However, it is widely agreed that the dish became popular in the 19th century, with the availability of locally abundant ingredients such as tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, and various herbs and spices.
These ingredients, combined with the influence of West African cooking methods and the rich culinary contributions of Spanish and French settlers, resulted in the flavorful and aromatic Chicken Creole we know today. The dish typically features chicken pieces cooked in a tomato-based sauce, infused with a medley of aromatic vegetables and spices, creating a hearty and satisfying meal.
This particular version is a twist on our favorite shrimp creole recipe, but uses diced boneless skinless chicken (instead of chicken pieces) and chili sauce (a less-authentic ingredient) for shortcuts that still yield delicious results.
Chicken Creole Sauce
Chicken Creole sauce is a flavorful and zesty tomato-based sauce that typically includes chunky vegetables like tomatoes, bell peppers, celery, and onion, as well as chili sauce or ketchup for tangy sweetness (in modern interpretations), Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and herbs and spices like cayenne, thyme, oregano, and/or bay leaves. It’s different from Étouffée in that it doesn’t start with a roux, and it’s typically not as spicy. The chicken creole sauce actually reminds me a lot of the tomato gravy that we serve with shrimp and grits.
Ingredients
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for a pot of creole chicken. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Butter: adds flavor and richness, and helps to brown the bacon, chicken, and veggies.
- Bacon: the smoky, crispy bacon serves as a nice garnish at the end, while the drippings provide a flavorful base for sauteing the chicken and vegetables.
- Chicken: use diced boneless skinless chicken breast or diced boneless skinless chicken thighs — whichever you prefer.
- Creole seasoning or Cajun seasoning: such as Tony Chachere’s brand. This is a convenient blend of spices like red chili pepper, black pepper, chili powder, and garlic.
- Celery, sweet bell pepper, and onion: the “Holy Trinity” in Creole cooking.
- Garlic: for earthy, savory flavor.
- Canned diced tomatoes: I like petite-diced tomatoes here, but regular diced tomatoes also work fine.
- Chili sauce: similar to ketchup, but with a little bit more “zip” thanks to vinegar, onion, garlic, and other spices.
- Worcestershire sauce: adds salty, umami flavor to the sauce. You can sub with soy sauce in a pinch.
- Bay leaf, kosher salt, ground black pepper, dried oregano, and dried thyme: for earthy, savory flavor.
- Hot sauce: to make it spicy! Adjust the heat according to your personal preference. We like a classic Louisiana hot sauce like Crystal brand, but any similar variety is fine.
The Best Skillet to Use
Any large skillet, frying pan, or Dutch oven will work for this recipe. We prefer a large cast iron skillet that’s about 12-14 inches in diameter. The larger surface area allows the chicken to spread out in the pan so that it gets a nice, flavorful sear on the outside instead of steaming in an overcrowded pan. The cast iron conducts heat beautifully. If you’re in the market for a new skillet, check out our roundup of the best cast iron skillets on the market. Here I’ve shown our top pick: the Staub traditional cast iron skillet, which is available on Amazon for $179.95.
The Directions
This simple one-pan meal comes together fairly quickly, so have everything ready to go before you start cooking. You’ll find detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s the quick version:
- Fry the bacon.
- Season and brown the chicken.
- Sauté the vegetables until tender, and simmer the sauce.
- Add the chicken back to the skillet and simmer for a few more minutes.
- Garnish with bacon and sliced green onions, chives, fresh thyme, or fresh parsley.
Serving Suggestions
An authentic chicken creole recipe is typically served over a bed of fluffy white rice, but brown rice or even cauliflower rice will work, too. On the side, you might like to offer one of these additional options:
- Southern Cornbread, Sour Cream Cornbread, Honey Butter Cornbread, Skillet Cornbread, Bakery-Style Corn Muffins, Sweet Cornbread, Cornbread with Cake Mix, Pumpkin Cornbread, Old-Fashioned Corn Sticks, or Jiffy Cornbread with Creamed Corn
- Angel Biscuits, Southern Buttermilk Biscuits, Flaky Biscuits, 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits, Sweet Potato Biscuits, Cheese Biscuits, or Easy Drop Biscuits
- 3-Ingredient Sour Cream Muffins, Pumpkin Muffins, or Pumpkin Bread
- Green Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette, Southern Caesar Salad, Simple Green Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette, Caesar Salad, Wedge Salad, or our favorite House Salad with Candied Pecans
- Southern Collard Greens or Sweet and Spicy Collard Greens with Bacon
- Sauteed Spinach with Garlic, Spinach Casserole, Spinach Salad with Bacon, or Creamed Spinach
- Sauteed Kale with Bacon or Fall Salad with Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Southern Succotash
- Baked Apple Slices with Brown Sugar and Cinnamon
- Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
- Roasted Root Vegetables with Balsamic
- Tomato Salad
- Roasted Yellow Squash or Southern Squash Casserole
- Summer Corn Salad
- Refrigerator Dill Pickles, Cucumber Salad with Vinegar, Tomato Cucumber Onion Salad, or Cucumber Dill Salad
- Roasted Green Beans, Arkansas Green Beans with Bacon, or Southern-Style Green Beans
- Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
- Fried Cabbage with Apples and Onion, Braised Red Cabbage, or Roasted Cabbage
- Fried Okra
- Broccoli and Cheese
- Coleslaw or Vinegar Coleslaw
Preparation and Storage Tips
- How to Store: leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- How to Freeze: the leftover chicken mixture will keep in an airtight container or large Ziploc freezer bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw the chicken and sauce in the fridge overnight before reheating and serving with a fresh pot of hot cooked rice.
- How to Reheat: warm the chicken and sauce in a covered skillet over low heat just until it reaches the desired temperature. Add extra broth, stock, or water to thin the sauce if necessary. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave for 1-2 minutes for a quick lunch the next day!
Recipe Variations
- This recipe yields 4 relatively small servings. If you’re feeding a larger family, I suggest doubling the recipe. By contrast, if you’re feeding just 1 or 2 people, you can cut the ingredients in half and follow the same cooking instructions.
- Don’t have chili sauce on hand? Substitute with ketchup. You might like to add some extra vinegar, garlic powder, dehydrated onions, paprika, or a little bit more spice like cayenne pepper to make up for some of that lost flavor.
- Add chopped fresh or frozen okra or sliced fresh mushrooms to the dish when you add the rest of the vegetables. It will be similar to another Southern classic: okra and tomatoes.
- Instead of green pepper, use red bell pepper, orange bell pepper, or just about any other color sweet bell pepper.
- Instead of bacon, use tasso ham or andouille sausage to flavor the sauce.
- Make it spicier by adding extra hot sauce or cayenne pepper. For a mild, kid-friendly dish, just omit the hot sauce completely.
Expert Tips
- Both chicken breasts and chicken thighs will work in this dish. The dark meat thighs have a higher fat content, and therefore stay juicier when cooked. If you prefer to use chicken breasts, just be careful not to overcook the meat or it can become tough and dry.
- Pat the chicken dry before browning it in the skillet. It’s also important to use a big skillet (about 12-14 inches) so that the chicken can spread out nicely. These two things will help the chicken achieve that great sear.
- For a thinner sauce, add a splash of chicken broth, chicken stock, or water to the skillet as it simmers.
- Stir the sauce regularly as it simmers to avoid scorching on the bottom of the pan.
- Wine pairing: when pairing wine with spicy Creole food, it’s usually best to look for dry, sweet, or bubbly white wines, which help balance the flavors in the food. Rosé and blush wines are great because they’re typically lower in alcohol content, which means that they don’t create a spicy burn in your mouth when paired with a spicy meal. Dry white wines like Sauvignon blanc and chardonnay are also good options to cut down on the spicy palate.
- Garnish the dish with fresh parsley, fresh thyme, sliced scallions, or fresh chives, as well as the cooked, chopped bacon. These add the perfect finishing touches! A squeeze of fresh lemon juice is also nice.
More One Skillet Chicken Recipes to Try
One-Skillet Peach Chicken
40 minutes mins
Chicken Dijon
38 minutes mins
Braised Chicken Thighs with Gravy
1 hour hr 55 minutes mins
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Chicken Creole
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 4 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs or boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning or Cajun seasoning
- ½ cup diced celery
- ½ cup diced green bell pepper
- ½ cup diced yellow onion
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, not drained
- ½ cup chili sauce
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- Hot sauce, to taste
- For serving: cooked rice; chopped fresh parsley or sliced green onions
Instructions
- In a large skillet or Dutch oven, cook bacon in the butter over medium heat until crisp and browned (about 3-5 minutes). Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Pat chicken dry with a paper towel and season with Creole seasoning. Increase heat to medium-high; sear chicken in the butter/bacon fat until browned on all sides (about 5 minutes) – it does not need to be cooked through at this point. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Add celery, bell pepper, onion, and garlic to the drippings in the pan. Cook over medium-high heat, just until the vegetables soften, about 3-4 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juices, chili sauce, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, salt, pepper, oregano, thyme, and hot sauce. Reduce the heat to low; simmer until thick, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes. Add the chicken back to the pan along with any accumulated juices on the plate and cook until the chicken is no longer pink, about 3-4 more minutes.
- Discard the bay leaf. Serve over rice and garnish with the cooked bacon, chopped fresh parsley, and sliced green onions.
Notes
- Both chicken breasts and chicken thighs will work in this dish. The dark meat thighs have a higher fat content, and therefore stay juicier when cooked. If you prefer to use chicken breasts, just be careful not to overcook the meat or it can become tough and dry.
- Pat the chicken dry before browning it in the skillet. It’s also important to use a big skillet (about 12-14 inches) so that the chicken can spread out nicely. These two things will help the chicken achieve that great sear.
- For a thinner sauce, add a splash of chicken broth, chicken stock, or water to the skillet as it simmers.
- Stir the sauce regularly as it simmers to avoid scorching on the bottom of the pan.
- Wine pairing: when pairing wine with spicy Creole food, it’s usually best to look for dry, sweet, or bubbly white wines, which help balance the flavors in the food. Rosé and blush wines are great because they’re typically lower in alcohol content, which means that they don’t create a spicy burn in your mouth when paired with a spicy meal. Dry white wines like Sauvignon blanc and chardonnay are also good options to cut down on the spicy palate.
- Garnish the dish with fresh parsley, fresh thyme, sliced scallions, or fresh chives, as well as the cooked, chopped bacon. These add the perfect finishing touches! A squeeze of fresh lemon juice is also nice.
This looks awfully good. I’ve often wondered about trying a creole sauce but didn’t have a simple recipe. It looks very versatile! Delicious with the chicken, maybe just vegetables or fish. Anything, really! Especially, if you’re like me and have to pull back on meat for budget reasons, smoked paprika and/or Chipotle powder adds a nice smoky flavor.
I had to grin when I saw the suggestion about okra! Remembering my professor’s feeling about okra and squash and that you had mentioned your boys feelings about vegetables. I’d eat the okra!
Yes, the sauce pairs very well with a variety of ingredients! Glad you got a chuckle out of it. At least some of us enjoy okra!
This was SO good! Followed the recipe to a “T”, using boneless chicken thighs, and Tony Chachere’s Creole seasoning, and a few dashes of Tabasco hot sauce. Just the right amount of spicy, but most of all, the flavors were so developed, given the short cooking time. From the first bite my husband and I were struck by tasty flavors. And you can’t beat the one skillet for clean up! Definitely going into our rotation. Thank you for this recipe!
That’s great to hear, Linda. Thanks for your note. I’m so happy that it will be a part of your regular meal rotation. 🙂