Cajun Chicken Stew with Mushrooms (Make-Ahead Friendly)

Sneak Preview: This Cajun Chicken Stew features juicy chicken, colorful veggies, and a rich, dark roux. Simmer it low and slow for comforting Louisiana flavor—especially good the next day.

Cajun Chicken Stew with Mushrooms is ready to eat in a white serving dish with a serving spoonPin

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The messiest pages in my 3-ring binder of favorite recipes are those for make-ahead entrees. I couldn’t live without them. How about you? Cajun Chicken Stew with Mushrooms only improves as it rests in the fridge.

No worries if you want to eat it immediately. Please do so.


Shared & Loved

I am making this dish for a second time today. Just forgot to print it out the first time. This was soooo good that all my family loved it, and it is very rare I can please both dad and kids at the same time. There was not a drop left.” —VIOLET

Ingredients and Substitutions

  • CHICKEN: Use a cut-up whole chicken for variety and homemade broth options. Boneless skinless thighs or breasts also work well. Remove skin for the best texture.
  • OIL: Any neutral oil works for the roux and browning. Vegetable or canola oil resists burning better than butter.
  • FLOUR: All-purpose flour is best for roux. Gluten-free flours like almond or rice flour can be used, but the texture may be grainier.
  • ONIONS & CELERY: Fresh or frozen diced onions work fine. Celery is key—don’t skip it.
  • BELL PEPPERS: Use a mix of red and green for a pop of color and authentic Cajun taste.
  • GARLIC: Fresh is best, but jarred garlic is fine in a pinch.
  • MUSHROOMS: Baby Bellas (quartered or sliced) hold up better than white mushrooms.
  • CARROTS: Baby carrots are convenient and eliminate the need for a separate side.
  • SEASONINGS: Cayenne, hot sauce, seasoned salt, and Worcestershire create classic Cajun heat. Adjust to your preference.

Step-by-Step Instructions

① Brown the chicken: Season and sear chicken in oil until golden on both sides; remove to a plate
② Make the roux: Add remaining oil and flour; stir constantly until deep golden brown and smooth
③ Sauté the veggies: Add onions, celery, peppers, and garlic; cook until softened and fragrant
④ Add broth and ingredients: Stir in hot broth, mushrooms, carrots, seasonings, and browned chicken
⑤ Simmer and finish: Cover and simmer until chicken is tender; discard bay leaf, add parsley, and serve over rice

pot of chicken and vegetables simmering in large pot.Pin
Add warm chicken broth, mushrooms, baby carrots, spices, and chicken. Cover. Simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

cajun chicken Fricasse with MushroomsPin
Yield: 5 servings

Cajun Chicken Stew Recipe with Mushrooms

A hearty make-ahead chicken stew with Cajun flair! This one-pot meal starts with a rich roux, is packed with vegetables, and finishes with tender chicken in a flavorful broth. Serve over rice and enjoy leftovers even more.
5 from 3 votes
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Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • ¼ cup (50 g) vegetable oil (divided, 1 T for frying the chicken and 3 T for making the roux)
  • 1 (870 g) cut-up chicken or 5-6 chicken breasts or boneless, skinless thighs
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • 3 tablespoons (13 g) vegetable oil
  • ½ cup (60 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1-1/2 cups (225 g) chopped onions
  • 1-1/2 cups (338 g) chopped celery
  • 1 cup (175 g) chopped green bell peppers
  • ½ cup (88 g) chopped red bell peppers
  • 1-2 cloves chopped garlic
  • 2-1/2 cups (568 g) hot chicken stock
  • 8 ounces (227 g) fresh baby bellas or white button mushroom, sliced
  • ¼ pound (113 g) baby carrots
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2-3 drops Louisiana hot sauce
  • ½ teaspoon seasoned salt
  • Parsley for garnish or chop and add for fresh flavor

Instructions

  • Brown Chicken: In a large pot, heat 1 tablespoon of oil. Season 1 (870 g) cut-up chicken or 5-6 chicken breasts or boneless, skinless thighs with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Brown on both sides and set aside.
  • Make the Roux: Pour remaining oil (3 tablespoons) and 1/2 cup (60 g) all-purpose flour into the pot. Stir constantly over medium heat until dark butterscotch in color. (If necessary, add an additional tablespoon of flour to make it come together.)
  • Add Veggies: Stir in 1-1/2 cups (225 g) chopped onions, 1-1/2 cups (338 g) chopped celery, 1 cup (175 g) chopped green bell peppers, 1/2 cup (88 g) chopped red bell peppers, and 1-2 cloves chopped garlicto the roux. Cook until softened, 5-7 minutes.
  • Build the Stew: Gradually add 2-1/2 cups (568 g) hot chicken stock while stirring. Return chicken to the pot along with 8 ounces (227 g) fresh baby bellas or white button mushroom, sliced, 1/4 pound (113 g) baby carrots, 1 bay leaf, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, 2-3 drops Louisiana hot sauce, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt.
  • Simmer: Cover and cook over low heat for 45-60 minutes or until the chicken is tender.
  • Finish & Serve: Remove bay leaf and add chopped parsley. Serve over cooked rice or refrigerate overnight for boosted flavor.

Notes

Whole chicken or pieces? I often use a whole chicken, but boneless breasts or thighs work just as well. I recommend removing the skin since it gets soggy. If you use a whole chicken, save the back and wings to make broth—just simmer them with a little salt and pepper.
 

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 491kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 139mg | Sodium: 645mg | Potassium: 652mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 4293IU | Vitamin C: 51mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 3mg

All images and text ©️ Paula Rhodes for Salad in a Jar.com

5-Star Ratings Are My Favorite!Help others find this recipe in search results on the web.

FAQ

  • Can I make it ahead?
    • Yes! The flavor improves after 24 hours in the fridge.
  • Can I freeze it?
    • Yes. Cool completely, then freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months.
  • Can I use pork or shrimp instead of chicken?
    • Yes. Pork shoulder works well. Add shrimp in the last 5 minutes of simmering.

What can I serve with this recipe?

  • The sauce makes a deliciously rich and silky gravy best enjoyed over a pile of long-grain rice. Try mashed cauliflower or riced cauliflower as a low-carb alternative.
  • Round out the menu with a good loaf of homemade French bread or Pan Cubano to sop up the gravy.

Final Thoughts:

Just like gumbo, this dish shines brightest the next day. It’s my go-to when I need a warm and reliable meal that feeds a crowd or just makes a weeknight feel special. It’s one of those stews that tells you to slow down, ladle up, and let the spices do the talking.

More chicken recipes:

Need help troubleshooting? Email me: Paula at saladinajar.com—photos welcome!

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5 from 3 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




29 Comments

  1. Chelsea Duenez says:

    5 stars
    I made this for dinner tonight with rave reviews from my family and myself! Once you gathered all the delicious ingredients, it came together like a dream. We roasted up some mini golden potatoes to make a hearty meal for this cold evening. I think my favorite part was the mushrooms! Looking forward to leftovers tomorrow! Every single recipe you post always turns out perfectly. Thank you again!

    1. Hi Chelsea,
      I love the mushrooms, too. Thank you for the kind words and 5-star review.

  2. Kate Bruno says:

    I made this recipe today- it does look gorgeous, and I followed it. This took a long time. Unfortunately, I have been making dark roux gumbos for many years, and this took as long as, if not longer (because of the butter based roux, rather than an oil based roux) than a Gumbo Ya-Ya…which it is…..well, partly. I let it sit and then tested the seasonings, and it was missing a lot. I did add thyme, oregano, Tony’s, and some cayenne. I appreciate the recipe, but for the time and effort, would rather make a regular gumbo. The recipe from Mr. B’s in New Orleans is very good, with modifications, as is Paul Prudhomme’s – as is. Note- to the poor soul who burned the roux….done it many times. You must use a heavy pot- cast iron/ Le Creuset, etc. My trick is to add the flour to – preferably oil – with a whisk quickly on really high heat, then turn the heat down to low. It takes about 1 hour to make a good roux, with constant stirring- don’t get the phone, don’t have a smoke, don’t go to the bathroom, and let the kids cry it out. Then, temper the roux and seasonings, cook for 10 minutes, and add the stock- not water ever- very slowly. I also agree that okra has no place in a Cajun gumbo- File in your own bowl please! Thanks for the recipe and will try other stuff from y our blog!

  3. recipe sounds great & looks great, almost identical to the way I make my chicken,sausage & shrimp gumbo. In the pic that I pinned it looked like there was also carrots in the pot…? Is that so or another recipe that I couldn’t find on your website?

    1. Hi Ricky,
      No carrots. Those are red bell peppers. paula

  4. Mushrooms are in the ingredient list, but they are never mentioned again. I suppose they must be added with the other veggies, right?

    1. Hi Donna,
      Mushrooms are included in “the remaining ingredients”. Hope it turns out good for you.

  5. I don’t have any celery. Can I substitute celery for okra or a vegetbale in order to have have gumbo flavor. I will make that probably tonight. It does look good. And I can I make it spicy?

    1. Celery is a pretty important part of many Cajun foods. You might sub celery salt for some of the regular salt. Don’t know of another good substitute.

  6. so i cook the butter and flour in a pot on low.. but by the time it looked like chocolate it suddenly smelled like burnt popcorn… is this normal or did i cook it too fast? is it ruined?

    1. uhg…it tastes like it smells…

    2. As you have probably guessed, it is burned, and therefore, ruined. If you cook it too fast and/or don’t stir it continuously (or at least, very often), or use a cheap pan that heats unevenly, it can burn. So sorry. But practice makes perfect. Try again but watch it close. It will not be the color of dark chocolate but more of a milk chocolate/caramelly color.

  7. I just tried to make this and literally wasted at least 1 cup of butter because there is no way butter and flour make a “rich milk chocolate”

  8. I am making this dish for a second time today. Just forgot to print it out the first time. This was soooo good that all my family loved it, and it is very rare I can please both dad and kids at the same time. There was not a drop left.

  9. I am in the process of making this now… when I added 1/2 cup of flour to 1/4 cup of butter the result was a dry crumbly mess, not the smooth sauce you have pictured… are you sure the measurements aren’t backwards?

    1. Hi Gigi,
      I’m afraid this answer may be too late for you but maybe it will help others. The amounts are correct as listed. The butter and flour will go through stages as it turns brown. First, it will be more like the consistency of mashed potatoes. As it starts to take on some color, it might seem a little dry. (Perhaps this is what you observed as a “dry crumbly mess.”) But as it gets browner and browner it will become more liquid again as seen in the pictures. Just keep stirring. That is the nature of a roux. You could always add more butter, but that will make the end product more “greasy” which is not good in my book.

  10. I don’t have a Dutch oven, can I just use a large pot?

  11. OK, so technically it is a gumbo…sort of. What you actually made is a chicken fricassee’ (freak-ah-say). Comfort food for any cajun. Minus mushrooms add potatoes you have something really authentic. You can easily substitute shrimp for the chicken, but put it in at the end until it turns pink.

    A gumbo would be made exactly the same way, minus the mushrooms, more meats added, more roux, and more water. No okra please – that’s so totally creole and not many cajuns would ever do that. If you want to thicken add small amount of file’ to your OWN bowl, not the pot.

    1. Hi June,
      What an interesting comment! Minus mushrooms (which I adore so I’ll have to think about that), plus potatoes? That sounds so fantastic. And never thought of shrimp. Yes, yes, that sounds good too.

      I am no expert on this kind of food, as I said on the post, but our family loves okra in our gumbo, so I guess we are totally creole. And I never heard of putting file’ in just the bowl but that makes sense too.

      Thanks so much for taking the time to write. pr

  12. Kristi Kearl says:

    We had this dish for dinner last night, and it was great! A nice change of pace from what we are used to. I liked the unique flavor.

  13. I was just thinking of Cajun food this weekend. I will definitely have to give this a try.
    Glad to hear your dad is doing better.

  14. Woohoo, Cajun chicken with the holy trinity of celery, onion, and bell peppers!! Your roux looks perfect, Paula. Glad to hear your dad is back home! 🙂

  15. Betty @ scrambled hen fruit says:

    You had me at “make ahead!” This looks fabulous!

  16. With the weather getting colder I am ready for this recipe. It’s nice to have something new to try and from a source you know you can trust to share only the best. I will be adding a couple of items to my grocery list tomorrow. I think this might be good with left over turkey too.
    I hope your dad continues to improve. Blessing to you all.

  17. Paula, this looks fantastic! Wow, so hearty. I’m laughing because I have done the same thing with my bread maching.

  18. This looks delicous. In Louisiana lots of dishes begin with, ‘first you make a roux’ which is exactly what you did with the butter/flour. Gotta be good with that.

  19. I love meals that can be made ahead of time too! This chicken recipe is sure to be a favourite of my husbands!

  20. TheKitchenWitch says:

    This one sounds like a keeper! I had to giggle a bit at the bread situation…you were far too organized with your chicken and rice! Something had to break down, right?