Description
Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta is bold, fast, and restaurant-worthy. Tender chicken is coated in smoky Cajun spices, tossed with pasta, and finished in a luxuriously creamy sauce that clings to every bite. It’s the perfect weeknight comfort food made with simple pantry staples.
Ingredients
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
12 oz fettuccine or linguine
1 ½ cups heavy cream
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 small yellow onion, diced
3–4 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 tbsp Cajun seasoning
2 tbsp olive oil or butter
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
Instructions
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water and drain (do not rinse).
2. Season chicken pieces with Cajun seasoning. Let sit briefly to absorb flavor.
3. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a skillet over medium-high. Cook chicken 5–7 minutes until browned and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
4. In the same skillet, add remaining oil. Sauté onion and bell pepper 4–5 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
5. Reduce heat to medium. Pour in heavy cream and simmer 2–3 minutes. Stir in Parmesan until smooth.
6. Return chicken to skillet with any juices. Add pasta and toss to coat. Adjust consistency with reserved pasta water as needed.
7. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately.
Notes
Don’t overcook the chicken; it will finish in the sauce.
Use a flavorful Cajun seasoning, not just salt.
Reduce heat before adding Parmesan to avoid clumps.
Reserve pasta water to adjust sauce consistency.
Swap shrimp, sausage, or gluten-free pasta if desired.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Main Course
- Method: Stovetop, One-Pot
- Cuisine: Cajun, American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 560
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 780 mg
- Fat: 26 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 48 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 135 mg