Cajun Chicken Bowl with Toasted Corn Rice and Creamy Slaw
Description
This Cajun Chicken Bowl with Toasted Corn Rice and Creamy Slaw is the ultimate flavour-packed weeknight dinner. Crispy, smoky Cajun-spiced chicken thighs sit on top of nutty golden corn basmati rice, all balanced out by a cool, tangy yoghurt slaw. Every component is made from scratch using simple pantry staples, and the whole thing comes together in under an hour. Bold, fresh, and completely satisfying — this is the kind of bowl you will want to make on repeat.
Ingredients
Cajun Chicken
- 4 chicken thighs skin-on and boneless
- 1.5 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 0.5 tsp garlic powder
- 0.5 tsp onion powder
- 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 1 pinch white pepper
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 0.5 lime juiced
Toasted Corn Rice
- 100 g basmati rice
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 spring onions thinly sliced, whites and greens kept separate
- 1 corn cob kernels removed
- 2 garlic cloves thinly sliced
- 0.5 green chilli thinly sliced
- fresh coriander stalks finely chopped, save leaves for slaw
- 0.5 lime juiced
Creamy Slaw
- 0.5 small cabbage finely shredded
- 0.5 green pepper thinly sliced
- 0.5 onion finely sliced
- 1 carrot julienned
- 0.5 lime juiced
- fresh coriander leaves roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp plain yoghurt
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp wholegrain mustard
- 1 pinch sea salt
Instructions
Cajun Chicken
- Combine the smoked paprika, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, sea salt, black pepper, white pepper, olive oil, and lime juice in a small bowl. Mix into a paste.
- Add the chicken thighs to the marinade and coat thoroughly all over. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. The longer it marinates, the deeper the flavour.
Creamy Slaw
- Add the shredded cabbage, green pepper, onion, julienned carrot, coriander leaves, mayonnaise, plain yoghurt, apple cider vinegar, wholegrain mustard, lime juice, and a pinch of sea salt to a large bowl.
- Mix everything together thoroughly. Taste and adjust seasoning — add more lime for brightness or more salt if it needs lifting. Set aside to rest while you prepare the rice and chicken.
Toasted Corn Rice
- Cook the basmati rice according to packet instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the spring onion whites and corn kernels. Fry for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden and smelling nutty.
- Add the sliced garlic, green chilli, and chopped coriander stalks to the pan. Fry for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Fold the cooked rice, spring onion greens, and lime juice through the corn mixture. Taste and season as needed.
Frying the Chicken
- Place the marinated chicken thighs skin-side down in a cold frying pan. Set the heat to medium and cook undisturbed for 6–8 minutes. The fat will render slowly and the skin will turn deeply golden and crispy.
- Flip the chicken thighs and cook on the other side until the internal temperature reaches 74°C (165°F). Rest for 2 minutes before serving.
Serving
- Spoon a generous serving of toasted corn rice into each bowl. Add the creamy slaw alongside. Place the Cajun chicken thighs on top, skin-side up. Finish with an extra squeeze of lime and a few fresh coriander leaves if desired.
Notes
- Always start the chicken thighs in a cold pan — this slowly renders the skin fat for maximum crispiness without burning the spice rub.
- Make the slaw first so it has time to rest and the flavours can meld before serving.
- Use fresh corn off the cob for best results. Frozen corn tends to steam rather than caramelise properly in the pan.
- Adjust the cayenne to your heat preference. Start with ¼ tsp for a milder version and build up from there.
- Store each component separately in airtight containers. Chicken and rice keep for up to 3 days in the fridge; slaw is best eaten within 1–2 days.
- This recipe works great for meal prep — the chicken is delicious cold, sliced over the rice the next day.