Cajun Bourbon Chicken - Is it Really Cajun Cooking?

Cajun cooking was born of necessity. When the BritishAlthough many people associate Cajun food with
caused the Acadians to abandon Nova Scotia in 1785,spiciness and being hot, this is not necessarily true. The
there were approximately 1600 that had to finduse of spices is a part of the seasoning but the true
somewhere else to live. They ended up in LouisianaCajun recipes used the spices for the taste, not to add
and the major source of food was from fishing,heat to the dish.
farming and hunting.So Cajun is a combination of Southern and French
When the Cajuns settled in Louisiana, they were notcooking. Cajun Bourbon Chicken is made of chicken
met with hospitality. They were looked down upon bysoaked in Bourbon and the Cajun spices are added.
the French Aristocracy. The swampy areas wereThe origins of this type of chicken are not agreed
where they had to settle due to this treatment.upon by very many people. Some say it is from
Although they basically had been eating what theKentucky. Others say it was named after Bourbon
Aristocracy ate, this move caused them to have toStreet in New Orleans. The marinade used for soaking
adapt the recipes they knew and use things that werethe chicken is normally sugar, soy sauce and whiskey.
available. So they adapted the recipes to what theyThis may be the reason for the name rather than any
had or could grow and this developed into Cajunof the other reasons.
cooking.The confusion is due to the differences between the
Because they sold a great deal of what they raised ortwo names. Bourbon chicken and Cajun bourbon
caught, the Cajuns, as they became known learnedchicken do not use exactly the same ingredients. While
how to create dishes out of the leftover goods tothe ingredients used in Bourbon chicken are also used
feed their families. At this time families were quite largein Cajun Bourbon chicken, there are a few things
and the amount of food fixed had to be enough toadded to Bourbon Cajun chicken and this will vary
feed everyone. This necessity caused Cajuns to mixaccording to the cook. The addition of Cajun
rice with almost everything eaten. Cajun Chicken wasSeasoning is not used in Bourbon Chicken. This can be
one of the dishes they found easy to prepare andthe type you buy in the store or if your roots are
was enough to feed the large families.Cajun, it can be whatever ingredients handed down by
Using what was available such as seafood, chicken,your mother or grandmother.
turtle and alligator many Cajun recipes were born. TheIrregardless of the origins of Cajun Bourbon chicken,
use of a roux and the fat from whatever type ofone thing everyone agrees on is the taste. It is delicious
meat is being fixed; the ingredients and seasonings areand has a flavor all its own. This is why it is made
what make the Cajun dish so different and tasty.using different variations all over the country.