Our Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta recipe combines tender, juicy chicken breasts with a rich cream sauce that's been jazzed up with Cajun seasonings.
The result? A restaurant-worthy pasta dinner you can make at home in about 30 minutes.
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Whether you're cooking for your family, a date night, or meal prepping for the week ahead, this pasta recipe will quickly become one of your favorites.
Cajun seasoning has been used to create delicious meals for centuries and was brought to Louisiana by Canadian settlers in the 18th century, with influences from Native American and African cultures.
If you love flavorful pasta and chicken dishes, make sure to try our Chicken Pepperoni and Tuscan Chicken Pasta recipes.
Ingredients
Gather the ingredients to prepare our Cajun Chicken Pasta recipe. Culinary professionals call this the “Mise en Place,” which means "everything in its Place."
Setting up your ingredients not only helps speed up the cooking process but also ensures you have all the necessary ingredients on hand to make the recipe.
Recipe Variations
- Shrimp Cajun Pasta - Substitute shrimp for the chicken.
- Hearty Cajun Pasta: Add sliced andouille sausage.
- Veggie Cajun Pasta - Add mushrooms, zucchini, okra, and collard greens.
- Extra smoky - Add a touch of smoked paprika.
- Cheesy version - Stir in cream cheese, mascarpone, or shredded cheddar.
Can I Make Adjustments to the Recipe?
Absolutely, you can make adjustments to the recipe. For a lighter version, omit the heavy cream and substitute it with pasta water. Reserve one full cup and use as much as needed.
For a pop of color, add roasted red peppers or cherry tomatoes to the dish.
We used Fafalle to make the dish, but penne, rigatoni, and fettuccine are also good choices as they hold onto the creamy sauce well. Of course, you can use your favorite pasta shape. You can also use gluten-free, whole wheat pasta to make the dish.
You can also make the recipe with tortellini or gnocchi.
How to Make Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
Follow along with my simple step-by-step instructions to learn how to make Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta in your home kitchen.
Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking to allow it to come to room temperature. Pat it dry with paper towels.
- Slice the chicken down into chunks. (If the chicken breasts are thick, slice them in half first.)
- Place a skillet over medium-high heat and add half of the butter (2 tablespoons) to the pan, stirring until melted.
- Add the onions and peppers to the pan and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir as needed.
- Add the garlic to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes, until it becomes fragrant.
- Add the chicken pieces, salt, black pepper, paprika, cayenne pepper, and fresh thyme to the pan.
- Stir to mix in the seasonings.
- Cook for 7-10 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan, stirring until it has melted.
- Add the heavy cream to the pan and stir until well combined. Cook over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the creamy mixture begins to bubble and thicken.
- Add the cooked pasta to the pan and toss to combine.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the Romano cheese.
- Stir until well combined and garnish with chopped parsley and Romano cheese.
If you prefer a non-creamy version, add ½ cup of the pasta water to create more liquid to cover all the pasta.
Chef Tips
- Reserve ½ cup of pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed.
- Swap half the cream for mascarpone for an ultra-luxurious texture.
- Blacken the chicken in a cast-iron skillet for deep smoky flavor.
- Add a splash of dry white wine before the cream for complexity.
Our Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta is the kind of dish that turns a regular weeknight into something special. After one bite, your family will be asking when you’re going to make it again.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve with garlic bread or a simple Caesar salad.
- Pair with roasted vegetables, such as broccoli or asparagus.
- For a Cajun feast, serve alongside cornbread or hush puppies.
- Serve family-style in a large pasta bowl, accompanied by freshly baked focaccia bread and a large tossed salad.
- Pair with iced tea or lemonade to balance the flavors.
- Serve with a crisp Sauvignon Blanc or a light Pinot Grigio.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 2-3 days. We do not suggest freezing this as the cream will separate.
Reheat gently in the microwave for one-minute intervals, stirring between each interval. You can also reheat in a frying pan over medium heat. Once heated, add a teaspoon of olive oil to the pan, place the leftovers in the heated pan, and stir occasionally for 3-4 minutes until reheated.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can. Store the pasta and sauce separately, then combine them just before serving. Add additional broth or cream if the sauce has thickened.
Absolutely. Reduce the Cajun seasoning by half or use a milder blend in its place. You can always add heat later with hot sauce or red pepper flakes.
You sure can. Use half-and-half instead of heavy cream, or add room-temperature plain Greek yogurt at the end (stirred in off the heat to avoid curdling).
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Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta Recipe
Equipment
- deep skillet
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breasts
- 1 pound farfalle pasta cook according to the directiopacka
- 1 cup green bell pepper diced
- 1 cup yellow bell pepper diced
- 1 cup sweet onion diced
- 2 tablespoons garlic finely diced
- 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons thyme
- 4 tablespoons butter divided into 2
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream room temperature
- ½ cup pecorino Romano cheese or Parmesan
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Instructions
- Remove the chicken from the refrigerator a half hour before cooking to allow it to come to room temperature.
- Remove the chicken from the packaging and pat it dry with a paper towel. Slice the chicken down into chunks. (If the chicken breasts are thick, slice them in half first.)
- Heat a Saute pan over medium-high heat and add half of the butter (2 tablespoons) to the Saute pan, stirring the butter around the pan to melt.
- Add the onions and peppers to the Saute pan and cook over medium-high heat until fork-tender for about 5 minutes, stirring periodically.
- Add the garlic to the Saute pan with the onions and peppers, and stir together to combine.
- Cook for 1-2 minutes until the garlic becomes fragrant
- Add the chicken to the Saute pan with the vegetables.
- Add the salt, black pepper, paprika, cayenne pepper, and fresh thyme to the shrimp and vegetables, stirring together to coat all the vegetables and chicken with the seasoning.
- Cook the chicken, making sure to stir so they cook evenly, for 7-10 minutes.
- When the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees in the thickest part of the chicken
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the Saute pan
- Allow the butter to melt for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan and scrape all the crispy brown bits
- Add the 1 ½ cups of heavy cream to the pan with the seasoned chicken and vegetables.
- (If you do not want a creamy version, add a ½ cup of the pasta water to create more liquid to cover all of the pasta.
- Cook over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the creamy mixture begins to bubble.
- Add the cooked pasta to the creamy mixture and use a slotted spoon to coat the pasta with the sauce, chicken, and vegetables.
- Remove from heat and stir in the Romano cheese into the pasta until the cheese is combined with the pasta.
- Place on a serving dish and serve hot
- For a garnish, sprinkle with parsley and Romano cheese.
Notes
- Shrimp Cajun Pasta – Substitute shrimp for the chicken.
- Hearty Cajun Pasta: Add sliced andouille sausage.
- Veggie Cajun Pasta – Add mushrooms, zucchini, okra, and collard greens.
- Extra smoky – Add a touch of smoked paprika.
- Cheesy version – Stir in cream cheese, mascarpone, or shredded cheddar.
- Reserve ½ cup of pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed.
- Swap half the cream for mascarpone for an ultra-luxurious texture.
- Blacken the chicken in a cast-iron skillet for deep smoky flavor.
- Add a splash of dry white wine before the cream for complexity.
- Serve with garlic bread or a simple Caesar salad.
- Pair with roasted vegetables, such as broccoli or asparagus.
- For a Cajun feast, serve alongside cornbread or hush puppies.
- Serve family-style in a large pasta bowl, accompanied by freshly baked focaccia bread and a large tossed salad.
- Pair with iced tea or lemonade to balance the flavors.
- Serve with a crisp Sauvignon Blanc or a light Pinot Grigio.
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