This Cajun Shrimp, Chicken & Sausage Seafood Skillet combines juicy shrimp, tender chicken, smoky turkey sausage, and aromatic vegetables in a warmly spiced tomato sauce. Everything comes together in one pan in just 30 minutes, giving you a savory, satisfying dinner with plenty of Cajun flavor and minimal cleanup.
Quick Overview
- Flavor/texture: Savory, smoky, warmly spiced, tomato-rich, with tender chicken, juicy shrimp, and browned sausage
- Difficulty: Easy and weeknight-friendly
- Best for: Family dinners, quick seafood meals, Cajun-inspired dinners, and busy weeknights
- Method: Brown, sauté, simmer, combine, and finish with shrimp
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 20 min
- Total Time: 30 min
- Servings: 4
- Approx.: 540 Calories | 38g Protein per serving
What This Is and Why You’ll Love It
- Three satisfying proteins—shrimp, chicken, and smoked turkey sausage—give every serving plenty of savory flavor and texture.
- Onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic create an aromatic Cajun-style base before the sauce goes into the skillet.
- The crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce combine with chicken broth and Cajun seasoning for a warm, savory sauce that coats every bite.
- Everything cooks in one skillet, keeping both the method and cleanup manageable on a busy night.
- The shrimp are added at the very end, which helps them stay juicy instead of becoming tough or rubbery.
- If you enjoy hearty Cajun skillet meals, this Cajun Seafood Dirty Rice Skillet is another seafood-packed dinner worth saving.
Ingredients
• 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 pound chicken breast, cubed
• 12 ounces smoked turkey sausage, sliced
• 1 cup onion, diced
• 1 cup bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 cup celery, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
• 1 cup crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons oil or butter
Key ingredients
Shrimp: Peeled and deveined shrimp cook quickly, which is why they go into the skillet last. They should turn pink and opaque while remaining tender.
Chicken breast: Cubed chicken provides a lean, hearty base. Keeping the cubes relatively even helps them brown and cook through at the same rate.
Smoked turkey sausage: The sliced sausage brings smoky depth and browned edges that complement the Cajun tomato sauce.
Onion, bell pepper, and celery: These vegetables form the aromatic foundation of the skillet and soften into the sauce as they cook.
Garlic: Minced garlic adds another savory layer. It cooks with the vegetables so it becomes fragrant without being scorched.
Cajun seasoning: Two tablespoons provide the skillet’s characteristic warm, savory spice.
Crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce: Crushed tomatoes create a little more texture, while tomato sauce gives the skillet a smoother finish.
Chicken broth: The broth loosens the tomato base and gives the proteins enough sauce to become evenly coated.
Substitutions
For the closest match to the intended flavor and texture, prepare the recipe with the ingredient list exactly as written.
The recipe already includes two built-in choices: use crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce depending on your preferred sauce texture, and use oil or butter for browning the proteins. Keep the listed amounts unchanged whichever option you choose.
How to Make It
- Brown the Savory Base
Heat the oil or butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken and sausage until nicely browned and the chicken is cooked through, then transfer both to a plate.
Cue: The chicken should be opaque through the center and reach 165°F, while the sausage should have browned edges. - Build the Aromatics
Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic to the same skillet. Cook until the vegetables soften and become fragrant.
Cue: The vegetables should look glossy and tender while still holding some shape, and the garlic should smell fragrant rather than browned. - Simmer the Cajun Sauce
Stir in the Cajun seasoning, crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce, and chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer so the flavors meld.
Cue: Look for small, steady bubbles rather than a hard boil. The sauce should begin to look cohesive and lightly thickened. - Return the Chicken and Sausage
Fold the chicken and sausage back into the skillet. Stir until everything is evenly coated in the Cajun tomato sauce and heated through.
Cue: The sauce should cling to the chicken and sausage instead of looking watery around them. - Finish with the Shrimp
Add the shrimp and cook just until they turn pink, opaque, and tender. Remove the skillet from the heat and serve hot.
Cue: Perfectly cooked shrimp curl into a loose “C.” A very tight “O” shape can indicate they have cooked too long.
Pro Tips
- Cut the chicken into evenly sized cubes so every piece finishes cooking at roughly the same time.
- Give the chicken and sausage enough contact with the hot skillet to develop browned edges instead of constantly stirring them.
- Keep the browned bits in the skillet after removing the proteins; they add savory depth when the vegetables and sauce are cooked in the same pan.
- Avoid burning the garlic. Once it becomes fragrant, continue promptly with the sauce ingredients.
- Keep the tomato mixture at a gentle simmer rather than a vigorous boil so it reduces without splattering excessively.
- Wait until the final stage to add the shrimp. They cook much faster than either chicken or sausage.
- Pull the pan from the heat as soon as the shrimp become pink and opaque because residual heat will continue cooking them briefly.
- For another quick skillet built around juicy shrimp and colorful vegetables, save this Garlic Butter Seafood Skillet.
Variations
- Crushed tomato version: Choose the listed crushed tomatoes for a chunkier Cajun sauce with more noticeable tomato texture.
- Smooth tomato version: Choose the listed tomato sauce for a smoother sauce that coats the chicken, shrimp, and sausage evenly.
- Butter-seared version: Use the listed butter option for a richer-tasting savory base.
- Oil-seared version: Use the listed oil option for straightforward browning over medium-high heat.
- Skillet dinner inspiration: If you like the combination of Cajun seasoning, shrimp, and a hearty protein, this Southern Garlic Butter Seafood Skillet with Rice offers another one-pan-style seafood dinner idea.
What to Serve With It
- Steamed white rice or jasmine rice to catch the Cajun tomato sauce
- Garlic bread or warm crusty bread for dipping
- Roasted green beans for a simple vegetable side
- Steamed or roasted broccoli
- A crisp green salad with a bright vinaigrette
- Roasted asparagus
- Corn or a simple corn salad for a Southern-inspired plate
- For a larger seafood gathering, serve smaller portions alongside a Cajun Seafood Boil with Garlic Butter Sauce.
Storage
Let leftovers cool before transferring them to an airtight container. Refrigerate promptly and enjoy within about 3 days for the best seafood texture.
Reheat gently in a covered skillet over low to medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until the chicken and sausage are hot and the shrimp are just warmed through. Avoid prolonged high heat because already-cooked shrimp can become tough quickly.
For individual servings, microwave in short intervals and stir between each round rather than heating for one long period.
Freezing is less ideal for this skillet because cooked shrimp can lose some of their tender texture after thawing and reheating.
Troubleshooting
- Shrimp are rubbery: They likely stayed in the skillet too long. Add shrimp only during the final stage and remove the pan from the heat once they are pink and opaque.
- Chicken is pale instead of browned: The skillet may not have been hot enough, or the chicken may have been moved too frequently. Let the pieces sit against the hot pan long enough to develop color.
- Vegetables are watery: Continue cooking them until excess moisture evaporates before adding the tomato mixture.
- Sauce looks too thin: Maintain a gentle simmer so some excess liquid can evaporate and the sauce begins clinging to the proteins.
- Garlic tastes bitter: The garlic may have browned or scorched. Cook it only until fragrant before moving into the sauce stage.
FAQs
Can I cook the shrimp at the same time as the chicken?
It is better to follow the listed order. Chicken requires considerably more cooking time, while shrimp cook quickly and can become rubbery if left in the skillet too long.
How do I know when the shrimp are done?
They should be pink on the outside, opaque through the center, and curled into a loose “C.” Remove the skillet from the heat promptly once they reach that point.
How do I know the chicken is fully cooked?
The chicken should be opaque through the center with no raw appearance remaining. For food safety, chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
Should I use crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce?
Either option listed in the recipe works. Crushed tomatoes provide more texture, while tomato sauce creates a smoother Cajun sauce.
Can I make this Cajun shrimp chicken and sausage skillet ahead?
You can refrigerate cooked leftovers, but shrimp have their best texture immediately after cooking. If reheating, use gentle heat and stop as soon as everything is hot.
Is this a one-pan dinner?
Yes. The proteins are browned, the aromatics are sautéed, and the Cajun tomato sauce is simmered in the same large skillet.
What keeps the shrimp tender?
Adding them last is the key. They need only enough time to turn pink and opaque before the skillet comes off the heat.
Conclusion
This Cajun Shrimp Chicken and Sausage Skillet delivers smoky sausage, tender chicken, juicy shrimp, aromatic vegetables, and a warmly spiced tomato sauce in one satisfying pan. Save it for the next time you need a flavorful 30-minute seafood dinner, and try this Garlic Butter Shrimp when you want another fast shrimp recipe.
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Cajun Shrimp, Chicken & Sausage Seafood Skillet
Equipment
- large skillet
- plate
Ingredients
- 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 pound chicken breast, cubed
- 12 ounces smoked turkey sausage, sliced
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 1 cup bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 cup celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons oil or butter
Instructions
- Brown the Savory Base
Heat the oil or butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken and sausage until nicely browned and the chicken is cooked through, then transfer both to a plate.
Cue: The chicken should be opaque through the center and reach 165°F, while the sausage should have browned edges. - Build the Aromatics
Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic to the same skillet. Cook until the vegetables soften and become fragrant.
Cue: The vegetables should look glossy and tender while still holding some shape, and the garlic should smell fragrant rather than browned. - Simmer the Cajun Sauce
Stir in the Cajun seasoning, crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce, and chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer so the flavors meld.
Cue: Look for small, steady bubbles rather than a hard boil. The sauce should begin to look cohesive and lightly thickened. - Return the Chicken and Sausage
Fold the chicken and sausage back into the skillet. Stir until everything is evenly coated in the Cajun tomato sauce and heated through.
Cue: The sauce should cling to the chicken and sausage instead of looking watery around them. - Finish with the Shrimp
Add the shrimp and cook just until they turn pink, opaque, and tender. Remove the skillet from the heat and serve hot.
Cue: Perfectly cooked shrimp curl into a loose C shape. A very tight O shape can indicate they have cooked too long.
Notes
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
