Cajundillas Recipe

Prepare and marinate chicken

Slice chicken breasts crosswise into thin cutlets or bite-sized strips. In a bowl combine smoked paprika, ground cumin, garlic powder, minced chipotle in adobo, kosher salt, black pepper and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Toss chicken in the spice mixture to coat and let rest 10–15 minutes.

Cook chicken

Heat a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat and add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Grill or sear chicken pieces 3–4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through (internal temp 165°F / 74°C). Remove and keep warm. Slice or shred to desired size.

Cook andouille and boudin

In the same skillet, add the sliced andouille and sear 2–3 minutes per side until browned. Remove. Crumble the boudin into the skillet and cook 3–4 minutes, breaking it up with a spoon until heated through and slightly crisp at edges. Combine boudin, sliced andouille, and cooked chicken in a bowl; set aside.

Heat vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add thinly sliced yellow onions and a pinch of salt. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden, about 20–25 minutes. Stir in brown sugar and sliced red bell pepper in the last 5 minutes to help caramelize and soften the pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.

Warm chipotle tortillas briefly in a dry skillet or wrapped in foil in a low oven until pliable, about 30–60 seconds per side on a skillet.

Lay one warm tortilla flat. Sprinkle a thin layer (about 1/2 cup) of shredded pepper jack in the center. Top with a portion of the combined proteins (about 1/4 of the total mixture), and a generous spoonful of caramelized onions and peppers. Add another light sprinkle of cheese on top.

Fold the tortilla like a quesadilla (fold in half) or as a half-moon pocket, pressing gently to compress.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon butter. Place folded cajundilla seam-side down and cook 2–3 minutes per side until golden brown and cheese is melted, pressing gently with spatula. Repeat with remaining tortillas, adding more butter as needed.

Keep finished cajundillas on a baking sheet in a 200°F (95°C) oven if making multiple, to keep warm and crispy.

Rinse rice until water runs clear. In a medium saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Add diced onion, celery and minced garlic; sauté 3–4 minutes until softened.

Add rinsed rice to the pan and stir to coat for 1 minute. Add chicken or vegetable stock, bay leaf, Cajun seasoning and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, remove lid and gently fold in the drained red kidney beans. Replace lid and let sit off heat for 5 minutes to warm through and finish cooking by residual steam. Fluff with fork, remove bay leaf, adjust seasoning to taste.

Plate 1 cajundilla per serving alongside a generous scoop (about 1/2 cup) of red beans & rice. Garnish with chopped cilantro and a lime wedge. Offer hot sauce on the side.