This chicken Cajun pasta is hearty, spicy, and full of flavor! It’s the ultimate comfort food and it’s full of tender chicken breast, penne pasta, bell peppers, tomatoes, and the creamiest cheesy Cajun sauce making for a satisfying meal your whole family will love. This Cajun pasta is perfect on its own, but if you want a side to go with this creamy pasta bowl, then serve it with a side of crusty bread, garlic bread, or a simple salad. If you want another easy pasta recipe, then try my chicken pesto pasta, chicken alfredo recipe, or shrimp alfredo recipe.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Pasta — I use penne pasta for this Cajun pasta, but farfalle, shells, or rotini pasta are great alternatives. You can also use whole grain pasta. Chicken — I use chicken breasts, but you can also swap for chicken thighs if you prefer dark meat. Cajun seasoning — you can use store-bought seasoning or homemade Cajun seasoning. Bell pepper — Use any bell pepper you’d like. I use red bell pepper. Keep in mind that green bell pepper won’t be as sweet as red, yellow, or orange bell pepper. Heavy whipping cream — this helps make the Cajun pasta with chicken smooth and creamy. If you’d like a lighter sauce, then you can swap it for half and half or light cream, but the sauce will be a bit thinner in comparison. Cream cheese — I use full-fat cream cheese, but you can swap it for a lighter version if you prefer. Parmesan — I recommend buying a block of parmesan and grating it yourself. Freshly grated parmesan melts more smoothly than pre-shredded parmesan.
How to Make Cajun Chicken Pasta
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the salt and the pasta and cook according to the package directions.
- Drain the pasta, reserving 1/4 cup of pasta water.
- While the pasta cooks, toss the chicken with 1 tablespoon of cajun seasoning.
- In a large skillet, heat the butter and oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and brown on all sides.
- Add the bell pepper and cook until tender, about 6 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the cream, parmesan, cream cheese, remaining 2 teaspoons of cajun seasoning, and black pepper. Cook until the cheese melts and the sauce is smooth and creamy. Add the pasta and toss until combined and heated through. Add some of the reserved pasta water to thin sauce, if desired. Serve immediately, garnished with more parmesan and parsley.
Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
Cook the pasta just to al dente texture as the pasta will continue to soften when you toss it in the sauce. Make sure to use a large enough pot for cooking the pasta. You want there to have enough room for the noodles to move freely. Don’t rush cooking the pasta. The water should be a rapid boil before adding the pasta to prevent it from being soggy. Remember to stir the pasta to prevent the noodles from sticking together or to the bottom or sides of the pot. Be careful not to overcook the chicken, or it’ll be dry. As the chicken is cut into bite-sized pieces, it’s easier to overcook than a whole chicken breast. Feel free to add additional vegetables to the pasta, such as spinach, mushrooms, zucchini, or broccoli. Cut the cream cheese into small cubes and let it soften. This will help in the melting process.
If you’ve tried this Cajun Chicken Pasta recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
