40-Minute Dutch Oven Crispy Cajun Fried Chicken

If you’ve tried my classic buttermilk fried chicken tenders or my quick skillet-style blackened chicken tenders, this Cajun fried chicken brings the crispy crunch you’ll love, if not more. Pair it with creamy baked mac and cheese, honey butter cornbread, or herb garlic mashed potatoes, or Southern collard greens, and you've got dinner!

There’s nothing quite like biting into crispy fried chicken; I promise this recipe will not disappoint. Each piece has the right amount of smokiness reminiscent of Cajun seasoning, and what I love most about this recipe is that the Dutch oven creates the perfect, golden, crispy coating that you would expect from fried chicken while keeping the inside tender and juicy.

Making fried chicken in my kitchen always takes me back to my grandmother's kitchen where so many precious family memories were made. Every Friday, she would fry up chicken or fish filling the house with the delicious flavors of her Southern cooking. This recipe is my way of honoring those moments that I cherished so much growing up. I’ll never forget how my grandmother would mix her flour in a large brown paper grocery bag- talk about old school.

Ingredients Notes

For this Cajun fried chicken recipe, you can either cut up a whole chicken or fry your favorite pieces. Our go-to are wings or drummettes.

• Select a cooking oil with a high smoke point like canola or vegetable oil. You can also use avocado oil but in my opinion, the chicken doesn't come out with the same level of crispiness that you expect of fried chicken.
• You can use your favorite store-bought Cajun seasoning blend or make your own.
• Adding cornstarch to the flour can make the chicken extra crispy.

See recipe card for quantities.

How to Make Cajun Fried Chicken

I know the thought of frying can feel intimidating, but it's easier than you think. Following my simple steps, you'll have perfectly fried chicken every time. Refer to the recipe card below for detailed instructions but here's an overview.

Instead of coating the chicken in a large brown paper bag like my grandmother did, I'm using a large ziploc freezer bag.

Equipment

For this recipe, I used my Dutch oven, but you can easily use a cast iron skillet, stainless steel skillet, electric skillet, or any other heavy-bottomed skillet.

Storage and Reheat

You can put leftovers in an airtight container with a tight-fitting lid or in a ziploc storage bag and store them in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Reheating is simple, place the chicken on a baking sheet and bake in the oven at 375 degrees until warm.

📖 Recipe

40-Minute Crispy Cajun Fried Chicken in Dutch Oven

By Cree

40-Minute Crispy Cajun Fried Chicken in Dutch Oven

Each piece has the right amount of smokiness reminiscent of Cajun seasoning and has the perfect golden crispy coating that you would expect from fried chicken.

No ratings yet

Print Recipe Pin Recipe SaveSaved!

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes

Calories: 2257kcal

40-Minute Crispy Cajun Fried Chicken in Dutch Oven

Equipment

• ▢
  Dutch Oven
• ▢
  Candy thermometer to gauge oil temperature
• ▢
  Paper towels to absorb excess moisture
• ▢
  Measuring spoons
• ▢
  Sheet pan
• ▢
  Cooling rack

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2-½ lbs chicken drummettes
• ▢ 3 tablespoon Cajun seasoning (use my homemade Louisiana Cajun seasoning blend.)
• ▢ ½ tablespoon kosher salt (plus 1 teaspoon)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon cumin (or just a pinch)
• ▢ 7-½ cups Canola oil (vegetable oil or other cooking oil with a high smoke point)

Flour Mixture

• ▢ 3 cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ ¼ cup cornstarch
• ▢ 3 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

Instructions

• Wash and pat dry your chicken pieces (wings, drumsticks, thighs, or breasts) with paper towels to absorb excess moisture. Season the chicken generously with Cajun seasoning, making sure each piece is evenly coated.
• In a large ziploc baggie add flour, cornstarch, additional Cajun seasoning, and a pinch of salt for dredging.
• Add the cooking oil to your Dutch oven (or a heavy-bottom skillet) and heat the oil to 350°F (use a candy or deep-fry thermometer to monitor the temperature). You can also sprinkle a pinch of flour into the oil, if the flour sizzles, you're ready to begin frying.
• Place about 4 to 5 pieces of chicken into the flour mixture making sure they're evenly coated then gently shake off any excess flour. Carefully lower the chicken pieces into the hot oil, without overcrowding the pot. Fry in batches if needed. Maintain the oil temperature at around 350°F during frying keep in mind that the temperature will lower as you add chicken and that's okay. More importantly, try not to let the temperature of the oil go too far above 350°F.
• Fry the chicken for 10 minutes on one side, flip, and cook for an additional 7-10 minutes until the outside is golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Use tongs to remove the chicken from the oil. Place it on a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain any excess oil. Immediately sprinkle a pinch of kosher salt over the top of the chicken.

Notes

• You want to make sure that you're building layers of flavor, so I highly recommend that you season the flour mixture with the same seasoning you use to season your chicken.
• When it comes to frying chicken, keeping the oil temperature steady is important. You’re aiming for about 350°F. If you have a candy thermometer, it’s the easiest way to keep an eye on it. But, if you don’t have one, sprinkle a little flour into the oil. If it sizzles right away, you’re good to start frying.
• Let the chicken rest on a wire rack instead of paper towels to keep the coating crispy and prevent it from getting soggy.
• I know it’s tempting to cook everything at once, but adding too much chicken can lower the oil temperature. When that happens, the chicken takes longer to cook and won’t come out as crispy. I highly recommend that you cook in batches if necessary.
• If you're frying in a shallow pan and the oil doesn't completely cover your chicken, cook on one side for 10 minutes then flip and continue cooking for another 10 minutes. Keep in mind that thighs and breasts take longer to cook.

Nutrition

Calories: 2257kcal | Carbohydrates: 82g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 207g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 58g | Monounsaturated Fat: 128g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 923mg | Potassium: 324mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 2683IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 6mg

Nutrition Disclaimer

Nutritional information is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. For the most accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information using the specific ingredients and brands you use.

Tried this Recipe? Don’t forget to give this recipe a Star Rating and Leave a Comment below- I’d love to hear from you.