An easy New Orleans-inspired Cajun chicken stew with tomatoes and okra that you can savor at home!

Okra, tomatoes and Cajun seasoning just belong together, don't you think?

Throw in the trinity — onion, green pepper and celery -- add some chicken, serve it over rice and voila, you are whisked away for a New Orleans style supper.

This is somewhat slow simmered to develop the deep flavors, but it's also ready in under an hour. (Which for Cajun cooking feels somewhat fast.)

Check out my Cajun chicken and okra for a different twist, minus the stew. Or try this Cajun sausage skillet for a quicker dinner. Or Cajun chicken pasta for a fun twist!

But back to today's recipe.

Let's get cooking!

Now, I’ve got some notes, tips and substitutions coming up below on how to make Cajun chicken stew. Just tryin’ to be helpful.

If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.

Ingredient Notes

• Rice: I mostly eat only brown rice, but of course white rice is fine to use here as well, if that's what you prefer.
• Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts work great here. We're cutting them down into smaller pieces so they cook through evenly and are bite-sized for eating. You could also swap in chicken thighs.
• Diced tomatoes: Regular diced tomatoes work great, or you could substitute petite diced tomatoes. Or use fire-roasted diced tomatoes to add some extra oomph.
• Cajun seasoning: I tend to use a homemade version, but store-bought is fine, too. Just reduce the added salt in the recipe and season at the end/
• Chicken broth: Start with the ½ cup that's listed, but feel free to add more at the end if you want your stew a little bit soupier.

I love serving this with plenty of hot sauce. Crystal, which is a Louisiana brand of hot sauce, is my favorite. It has tons of flavor without being overly top hot/spicy.

And that way, everyone can make their own bowl as spicy as they like.

Last thing, what to do with any leftovers.

Leftover chicken stew, once cooled, can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Store leftover rice separately. Reheat the stew stovetop over medium low heat, stirring regularly, until warmed through.

I hope you give this a try next time you are looking for a Cajun dinner with big flavor that's also easy and do-able any night..

Enjoy!

XO,

Kathryn

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Yield: 4 servings

Cajun Chicken Stew with Okra

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An easy New Orleans-inspired Cajun chicken stew with tomatoes and okra that you can savor at home!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

• 1 ¼ cups brown rice
• 2 ½ cups water
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• ½ cup green pepper, chopped
• ½ cup celery, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced (or 1-2 teaspoons jarred minced garlic)
• 1 - 1 ½ pounds chicken breasts, cut into small chunks and seasoned with salt and pepper
• 2 cups okra, ends removed and chopped in ½-inch pieces
• 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning (homemade or store bought)
• ¾ teaspoon salt (less if your Cajun seasoning is store bought)
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ cup chicken broth
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar, divided
• salt and pepper, to taste
• hot sauce, to serve (optional). We prefer the Louisiana brand called Crystal.

Instructions

1. Cook the brown rice.
2. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.
3. Add onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes, until softened.
4. Add garlic and sauté for another minute, until fragrant.
5. Add chicken to the middle of the pan and cook until slightly browned on both sides, about 3 minutes each.
6. Add okra, diced tomatoes with the juices, seasonings, bay leaf, chicken broth and 2 tablespoons of the red wine vinegar. Stir to combine.
7. Cover and simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
8. Remove and discard the bay leaf.
9. Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, then taste and adjust seasonings.
10. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.
11. Serve over perfect brown rice. Top with hot sauce, if desired.

Notes

Rice: I mostly eat only brown rice, but of course white rice is fine to use here as well, if that's what you prefer.

Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts work great here. We're cutting them down into smaller pieces so they cook through evenly and are bite-sized for eating. You could also swap in chicken thighs.

Diced tomatoes: Regular diced tomatoes work great, or you could substitute petite diced tomatoes. Or use fire-roasted diced tomatoes to add some extra oomph.

Cajun seasoning: I tend to use a homemade version, but store-bought is fine, too. Just reduce the added salt in the recipe and season at the end/

Chicken broth: Start with the ½ cup that's listed, but feel free to add more at the end if you want your stew a little bit soupier.

Leftovers: Leftover chicken stew, once cooled, can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Store leftover rice separately. Reheat the stew stovetop over medium low heat, stirring regularly, until warmed through.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 445Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 145mgSodium: 1775mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 6gSugar: 7gProtein: 58g