Bold creamy Cajun chicken pasta (Printable)

Tender Cajun-spiced chicken, sautéed peppers, and creamy sauce combine for a comforting pasta meal.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 16 oz), sliced into strips
02 - 1 ½ tablespoons Cajun seasoning
03 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Pasta

04 - 12 oz penne or fettuccine pasta

→ Vegetables

05 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
06 - 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
07 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Sauce

09 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
10 - 1 cup heavy cream
11 - ¼ cup chicken broth
12 - ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
13 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

14 - Fresh parsley, chopped
15 - Extra Parmesan cheese

# How-To:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta until al dente, then drain, reserving ¼ cup of pasta water.
02 - Toss chicken strips with Cajun seasoning ensuring even coating.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sauté for 5–7 minutes until browned and fully cooked. Remove and set aside.
04 - In the same skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add bell peppers, red onion, and garlic, cooking for 4–5 minutes until softened.
05 - Pour in heavy cream and chicken broth, stirring to deglaze the skillet. Simmer for 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened.
06 - Lower heat to low and stir in Parmesan until melted and sauce becomes creamy. Season with salt and black pepper to preference.
07 - Add cooked pasta, chicken, and reserved pasta water to the skillet. Toss to coat and heat through. Serve garnished with chopped parsley and additional Parmesan.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in about 40 minutes, which means weeknight dinner without the stress.
  • The cream sauce is so silky and flavorful that even people who claim they don't like Cajun food end up asking for seconds.
  • One pan handles almost everything, so cleanup feels like a reward rather than a chore.
02 -
  • Don't let the sauce boil hard after you add the cream, or it can break and separate—gentle heat is your friend here.
  • That reserved pasta water is the secret weapon that keeps the sauce from becoming gluggy; use it sparingly but don't skip it.
  • Taste as you go and season carefully, because both the Cajun spice and the Parmesan add saltiness.
03 -
  • Don't overcrowd the skillet when searing the chicken; give it space so it browns instead of steams, and work in batches if you need to.
  • If your sauce is too thin after the Parmesan melts, mix a small spoon of cornstarch with water and stir it in over low heat to thicken gently.
Go Back