Spice up dinner with Cajun Chicken and Dirty Rice! Juicy, seasoned chicken thighs are cooked to perfection and paired with smoky, flavorful rice in one easy dish.
It’s not dinnertime in our home unless there’s hot sauce on it. We love anything spicy around here especially chicken. This spicy chicken with instant pot cajun dirty rice is quick to cook up and full of flavor. It’s spicy, but not too spicy. The chicken compliments the cajun dirty rice so well. The rice is made in the instant pot while the chicken is baking so the cooking time is cut in half. Making this dinner a go to for us, even on the weekdays.
Using the instant pot has been my new go-to for quick and easy dinners. If you don’t have an instant pot I suggest getting one, it will change how you cook. I remember the days when cooking rice was a struggle. It would either turn out too soft or too hard or completely uneven textures which was the worst but having an instant pot has doubled as my rice cooker. It’s pretty fail proof.
Cooking the dirty rice
Making this cajun dirty rice takes places solely in the instant pot so no need to dirty up more than one dish. Not only are you saving on time, you’re also saving on dishes so it’s a win win. This recipe utilizes the instant pot’s sauté setting which is one of my favorite things to use. The rice begins by cooking the sausage until it’s brown. Then you add the vegetables, cajun seasoning, and Worcestershire sauce then sauté until they’re softened just like you would do in a pan.
Once the vegetables are ready to go, you can add the rice, broth, bay leaf and place the top on the instant pot. Set the valve to the sealed direction and set the cook time for 6 minutes. Once the timer goes off natural release for 10 minutes. This is where you set the valve to the opposite direction. I always do this with a washcloth or something besides my hand because the steam that will be released can burn you, so watch out for that.
Keep in mind that this rice will take longer than 16 minutes to make. The instant pot takes time to heat up and get to the desired pressure to cook the rice. This leaves plenty of time for the chicken to cook. When it’s finally all said and done you will have delicious and perfectly cooked dirty rice.
Cooking the chicken
Making this spicy chicken is unbelievably easy as well. This is definitely one of those dishes you want to plan for so you can prepare the chicken. The night before you want to make this dish, take your chicken breasts and place them in a bag with the half cup of your favorite hot sauce sauce so it can marinate over night. If you don’t marinate it then you will be missing out on some good flavor, especially if you’re cooking with a thicker piece of chicken.
As the rice is cooking, you’ll want to start on the chicken. Take out an oven safe pan like a cast iron skillet and lightly cover the surface with oil and heat over medium heat. Add the chicken and pan fry until it’s cooked. Keep in mind that thicker pieces of meat will need longer to cook. I recommend you do this on a medium heat so you don’t overcook the outside and undercook the inside.
Easy Substitutions
One thing that makes this spicy chicken so good is the hot sauce marinade. The hot sauce you use for your spicy chicken all depends on you and what you like. Not all hot sauces are created equally, some are more spicy than others and some are more tangy than others. This is completely up to you. It doesn’t matter which hot sauce you use, you’ll still stick with the 1/2 cup marinade.
Another substitution I frequently make is replacing the pork sausage for ground turkey. If you’re looking to save some calories, this is definitely one way to do so. Turkey doesn’t have quite as much sodium or fat content as its pork sausage alternative. If you choose this healthy substitution, your dirty rice will still be flavorful from the cajun seasoning and worcestershire sauce!
I can’t wait for you to try this spicy chicken over cajun dirty rice. It’s quick to make, spicy, and super addicting. It’s been a hit at my house for some time now. Let’s get on to the recipe.
Spicy Chicken with Instant Pot Cajun Dirty Rice
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts
- 1/2 cup hot sauce
- 1 lb pork sausage
- 1 onion
- 2 stalks celery
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon cajun seasoning
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- 2 cups white rice
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 bay leaf
- Garnish with parsley and more hot sauce
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts and tabasco sauce in a bag and marinate overnight
- After the chicken have marinated over night, set your instant pot to the sauté setting and add the sausage and break up and begin to brown
- Add the onion, celery, green bell pepper, garlic, cajun seasoning, worcestershire sauce, and sauté until softened, around 5 minutes
- Add the rice, beef broth, and bay leaf
- Press cancel on your instant pot and place the lid on ensuring the valve is set to the sealed direction. Set the cook time to 6 minutes then allow to natural release after 10 minutes
- While the rice is cooking, heat a cast iron skilled over medium heat and sauté the tabasco chicken browning each side then place in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes until cooked through and juices run clear
- Serve the spicy chicken over the rice
Notes
Make a gravy with the pan droppings by adding 3/4 cup of beef broth to your cast iron skillet bring to a medium heat and simmer. In a small container, combine 1 teaspoon of corn starch and 1 tablespoon of beef broth and stir until combined. Pour into the skillet and continue to let it simmer over medium heat until it’s thickened. Pour over your chicken and rice and serve.
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