I love creamy pasta, add a little spice and you got me wrapped around the fork! When I first tried Cajun chicken pasta I was at TGI Friday in Chicago. That very first bite was heavenly. I returned and ordered it the next night after the conference – it was THAT good! I knew I just had to find a way to recreate this at home and so I did. Now don’t get intimidated because it’s a restaurant style dish. It’s really easy to put together and it only takes 30-minutes to make!

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Easy Cajun Chicken Pasta

Cajun Chicken Pasta is my favorite dish to order when I go out. It is made with pasta, cheese sauce and chicken breast tenders. Dressed up with herbs, diced pepper and of course Cajun seasoning for the perfect combination of creamy and spicy. Did I mention this dish only takes 30-minutes to pull together? Yes, ma’am, in 30-minutes you could have a delicious restaurant style dinner on your table. Serve it with a salad, toasted bread with garlic butter or warm bread to mop up the creamy sauce.

What is Cajun?

Cajun is a blend of spices that originated in Louisiana. The blend contains paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder and more. I love the spice blend but tend to add a little extra to bring out the flavors. Cajun seasoning taste really good on chicken, shrimp and even french fries. It adds just the right amount of heat so you can enjoy the food without grabbing a glass of water. It’s a nice change from traditional creamy pasta with alfredo sauce and your tastebuds will probably do a happy dance after the first bite.

The Ingredients for Cajun Chicken Pasta

Don’t be intimidated by the list of ingredients, it goes by quick – trust me! Here’s the run down:

Pasta – I like to use a fettuccine pasta but you can use penne, spaghetti or any pasta you prefer. Walmart sent me spaghetti pasta and so I just rolled with it.

Butter + Olive oil

Sweet onion – diced

Garlic cloves – minced

Seasonings – Cajun seasoning, dried basil, paprika powder, ground black pepper, salt and cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes.

Chicken breast tenders – cut into bite sized pieces

Parmesan Cheese – freshly shredded works best

Heavy cream – at room temperature

Cream chesse – at room temperature

Chicken broth – I like to use reduced sodium chicken broth because my husband has high blood pressure. You can use regular or reduced.

How to Make Cajun Chicken Pasta

Kelis’ milkshake may bring all the boys to the yard but my cajun pasta dinner brings my entire family to the kitchen and the table. Seriously, the aroma of the cajun spices fills the kitchen and they all come looking. Try it with your tribe and tell me if it had the same affect.

Measure Seasoning – Measure out all (Cajun seasoning, basil, paprika, ground black pepper, salt and cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes) your spices and seasoning and place in a bowl.

Cut, Mince and Dice – Mince your garlic, dice your onion and red pepper and set aside.

Cook the pasta – Boil 6 cups of water in a large pot on high and then cook pasta as box suggest. Drain the pasta, rinse with cold water and set aside.

Cook the Onion & Red Pepper – While the pasta is cooking, add butter, olive oil and onion to a large pot or skillet over med-high heat and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the onion becomes translucent. Add in the red pepper, garlic, Cajun seasoning, basil, paprika, ground black pepper, salt and cayenned pepper or red pepper flakes. Stir to combine and cook until red pepper becomes soft (about 3 minutes).

Mix in the Chicken – Add the chicken and stir and cook for another 6-8 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Make the Sauce – Add parmesan, heavy cream, cream cheese and chicken broth and stir and cook for 8-10 minutes or until sauce starts to thicken and cream cheese is fully melted.

Pull it All Together – Add the cooked & drained pasta and stir to coat with sauce. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Serve hot and enjoy!

Commonly Asked Questions

How can I add more heat? If you like heat then add a little more cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes. I would do 1/4 teaspoon increments so it doesn’t become to hot too quick and you can’t enjoy your meal. Remember: You can always add more but you can’t take it out once it’s been added.

Why Do I Have to Rinse the Pasta? You don’t have to. Rinsing prevents the pasta from clumping. You can also toss with a little olive oil.

Can I add shrimp? Yes! Add some peeled and deveined shrimp to the sauce while you are waiting for it to thicken. This way the shrimp will have the perfect amount of time to cook 8-10 minutes. Continue on with the rest of the recipe and you’ll have a delicious Chicken and Shrimp Cajun Pasta!

Can I replace the chicken for ground beef? I don’t see why not. I would add the ground meat to the onion and red pepper mixture and brown. Drain any excess liquid or fat and continues with the recipe.

How to store and reheat leftover? This is one dish best fresh but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container and placed in the fridge for 2 days. Reheat on the stovetop and add a little extra cream and a little butter to prevent drying.

What to Serve with Cajun Chicken Pasta

Bread – A nice crusty bread with butter and garlic would go perfect with this recipe. Or a plain warm crusty bread would go great.

Salad – You can keep it light and balanced with a side salad.

Ready to Give This Recipe a Try?

Once you try this recipe please come back and leave a comment to let me know if you liked it and any modifications you did to improve the recipe. It will help other readers and it will also encourage me to keep sharing these recipes with y’all.

With Love From Catt

XOXO