Quick, easy, and packed with flavor, my creamy cajun chicken pasta makes a great weeknight dinner that’s ready in less than 30 minutes! Feel free to swap the chicken for shrimp or add your favorite veggies.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- While this is a creamy cajun chicken pasta, it’s not too rich. It’s comfort food for sure, but it’s not heavy! We like to eat it year-round.
- Feeds the whole family in just 30 minutes! This is just one of my many quick and easy weeknight dinners.
- Tons of flavor from a blend of spices and aromatic garlic, onions, and bell peppers.
- Protein packed and filling with the option to add additional veggies if you’d like (spinach, mushrooms, or tomatoes would be my suggestions!).
Made with fresh veggies, a creamy, spiced sauce, and perfectly seasoned chicken over a bed of penne, this cajun chicken pasta has been a hit in our house since I first started making it a few years ago (it’s one of my Fall favorites alongside my chili recipe).
This dish has it all; tons of flavor, enough protein to keep you full, and a creamy sauce that keeps you going back for more. Oh, and it’s ready in just half an hour! Try serving it with a side of my buttermilk cornbread for a full, satisfying meal.
Ingredients
You’ll see quite a few spices, plus some veggies, protein, and of course, pasta.
- Pasta. While I recommend penne, you can substitute your personal preference when making this recipe. Linguine is always a popular choice (I use that in my cajun shrimp pasta!), but I like the way the penne holds the creamy sauce in each bite. Whole wheat or whole grain pastas are also great options for a little added nutritional value! Make sure that you stick to just 8 oz (usually half a package) of your favorite shape.
- Chicken breast. While you could cook the breasts whole, cutting up the chicken into bite-sized pieces before seasoning allows each piece to be fully coated in the seasoning. If you don’t feel like doing this, you can always just season and cook the breasts whole and serve them over the finished dish, like I do with my chicken alfredo, but I think a little effort in the beginning is worth the payoff.
- Spices. Including cajun seasoning (I like “Slap Ya Mama” brand!), garlic powder, black pepper, basil, and smoked paprika. Note that we will use only 3 teaspoons of the cajun seasoning for the chicken; the rest will go in the sauce.
- Bell peppers. Really any color will work. I used red and green in my old photos for this recipe, but today I’m using red and orange. Just make sure to slice them into thin strips.
- Cream. Heavy cream, whipping cream, or double cream will work.
SAM’S TIP: Grate your own cheese! Pre-grated cheeses (like the green plastic can we all know of) contain anti-caking agents that ultimately prevent them from melting smoothly into your sauce.
Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make It
- Season and sear the chicken in two tablespoons of butter, then remove to a plate and set aside.
- Sauté the peppers and onions in the remaining tablespoon of butter until softened.
- Stir in the cream and spices and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Let cook until thickened, then add the cheese, chicken, and pasta.
- Serve with additional parmesan cheese and chopped parsley if desired. Enjoy!
SAM’S TIP: If you want more veggies, toss in some canned diced tomatoes or make this creamy cajun chicken pasta with spinach! You can stir in a handful when you add the cream. It will wilt into the sauce, and honestly, you won’t really notice you’re eating it!
Frequently Asked Questions
Sure! Just keep in mind that the noodles will likely absorb the sauce as it sits, so it won’t be quite as creamy when reheated. You can always save some of the pasta water and drizzle that in as you are reheating to help loosen the sauce!
Make sure you store your pasta in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy within a few days.
You could, or you could make my cajun shrimp pasta instead. You can also add smoked andouille sausage–that’s a classic cajun ingredient too!
We like to serve this creamy cajun chicken pasta with a salad and some bread, typically artisan bread or sourdough, but sometimes we mix things up with jalapeno cornbread or garlic knots!
This cajun pasta would make a delicious mardi gras meal, especially with a slice of king cake for dessert!
Enjoy!
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Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 oz (227 g) penne pasta* cooked according to package instructions and drained
- 4 teaspoons Cajun seasoning divided
- ½ teaspoon salt divided
- ½ teaspoon pepper divided
- 1 ½ lbs (680 g) boneless skinless chicken breast cut into 1″ pieces
- 3 Tablespoons salted butter divided
- ½ yellow onion diced
- 2 bell peppers sliced (any color, I like to use red)
- 1 ½ cups (355 ml) heavy cream
- ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅓ cup fresh parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Begin cooking pasta according to package instructions.
- In a large ziploc bag, toss together 3 teaspoons Cajun seasoning, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Add chopped chicken, zip closed, and shake until chicken is coated. Set aside.4 teaspoons Cajun seasoning, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, 1 ½ lbs (680 g) boneless skinless chicken breast cut into 1″ pieces
- In a large pan over medium heat, melt 2 Tablespoons of butter.
- Transfer chicken to heated pan and cook until chicken is browned and just cooked through (cook in batches if needed). Remove to a plate and set aside.
- Add remaining Tablespoon of butter to pan and cook until melted.
- Add peppers and onion and cook, stirring frequently until beginning to soften (about 3-5 minutes).½ yellow onion, 2 bell peppers
- Add heavy cream, smoked paprika, basil, garlic powder, remaining cajun seasoning and ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer, cooking until sauce is thickened.1 ½ cups (355 ml) heavy cream, ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon dried basil, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- Return cooked chicken to the pan. Add parmesan cheese and warm cooked, drained pasta and stir until cheese is melted. Serve warm, topped with fresh parsley if desired.⅓ cup fresh parmesan cheese, 8 oz (227 g) penne pasta*
Notes
*Pasta
While I particularly enjoy this recipe served with penne, you can of course substitute your favorite type of pasta. Linguine is another popular option!Seasoning
I really like the “Slap ya Mama” brand cajun seasoning.Storing
Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Pasta will not be as creamy when reheated.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
I originally shared this cajun chicken pasta recipe in 2019 over on Spend with Pennies!
Candy
Great recipe, thank you! I added 3 chopped celery stalks, 4 cloves of diced garlic and about 1/2 cup of chicken bone broth. 😊
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Candy! 🙂