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This Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta is an easy, mouth-watering recipe that’ll satisfy the whole family! Juicy cajun spiced chicken breasts are mixed with an ultra creamy sauce for the perfect weeknight dinner!
Ok, I think I have enough Cajun spice recipes on the blog to officially say I’m obsessed. It’s become my all time favourite spice because it adds so much amazing flavour to a dish!
So here I am with yet another indulgent cajun recipe that you’ll totally fall in love with!
What to Love About This Creamy Cajun Pasta Recipe
- Textures: They came out super JUICY with my method of cooking chicken breasts on the stovetop. Combine that with the insanely creamy cajun sauce and the al dente pasta!
- Flavour, Flavour, FLAVOUR: with 8 different spices, the chicken breasts are WELL seasoned, and the onions, peppers and cajun spice give the sauce an incredible flavour.
- So Easy: as a somewhat amateur cook, I can tell you this is a very easy recipe! It’s just preparing the chicken breasts, making the sauce, cooking the pasta, then putting it all together!
Ingredients Needed For This Creamy Pasta Dish
- Pasta: I used Rigatoni, but you can use any kind of pasta you want for this. Penne pasta and fettuccine are some of my other recommendations!
- Chicken Breasts: I used 4 large boneless skinless chicken breasts in this pasta, but if you want less chicken you can use 2. You will have to halve the amount of seasonings and butter you use.
- Olive Oil: to coat and cook the chicken.
- Seasonings: 8, yes EIGHT seasonings will be going onto this chicken: cajun, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper. We’ll also be using cajun spice in the sauce.
- Unsalted Butter: adds tons of flavour to the chicken and vegetables!
- Vegetables: diced red onions, red bell peppers, yellow bell peppers and garlic are a must have in this pasta dish! You can substitute the onion and peppers for other kinds you like (green peppers, yellow onions etc.).
- Tomato Paste: to thicken the sauce and enrich the flavours!
- Heavy Cream: this is the key to a super creamy sauce!
- Chicken Broth: just a little bit to add some extra flavour.
- Parmesan Cheese: use freshly grated parmesan cheese!
How to Make Cajun Chicken Pasta
Check the recipe card for the full video tutorial if you want to see how this pasta is made!
- Boil the Pasta: whatever pasta you use, boil it in a pot of salted water according to package directions.
- Prepare the Chicken: using a mallet, pound the chicken breasts into ½-inch thickness. Coat both sides in olive oil, then sprinkle on the seasonings and rub them in.
- Cook the Chicken: add some more oil to a large pan, let it heat up, then add the chicken. Let it cook for 7 minutes, flip it over, then add the butter. Once the butter melts, swirl the pan around, then spoon the butter over the chicken. Cook for another 7 minutes.
- Sauté the Vegetables: add more butter to the pan, then add your onions and peppers. Stir it around and cook until they’ve softened. Add the minced garlic and tomato paste and stir it around until all the vegetables are coated in the paste.
- Make the Sauce: add the heavy cream and let it simmer for at least 8-10 minutes until it’s thickened, stirring occasionally. Add cajun seasoning and chicken broth to the sauce and stir until combined. Let it cook for another minute or two. Turn off the heat and stir in the freshly grated parmesan until it’s combined.
- Put it All Together: stir in the pasta. Slice the chicken breasts and either stir them into the pasta or serve it on top.
Tips For The Best Results
- Boil the pasta at the right time: I put the instructions for boiling the pasta at the beginning, but if you don’t want your pasta to dry out by the time you add it to your sauce, don’t boil it until you finish cooking the chicken.
- Don’t move the chicken while it cooks: leave the chicken in place while it cooks. Don’t move it around in fear that it’ll stick, it won’t stick if it’s been cooked properly.
- Cut the chicken into smaller pieces: I sliced my chicken into thin strips, but I suggest you chop your chicken into smaller bite-sized pieces if you plan on stirring it into the pasta. Just to make it easier to eat.
Tools I Used to Make This Recipe
- Meat Mallet: although you can use a rolling pin, a meat mallet will provide the best results when pounding your chicken.
- Ziplock Bag: instead of placing the chicken between two sheets of plastic wrap when using the mallet, place them inside a ziplock bag. A lot cleaner and less waste!
- Food-Safe Gloves: since we’re rubbing oil and spices onto the chicken, I recommend wearing a pair of food-safe gloves.
- Tongs: use a pair of tongs to flip your chicken.
- Large Frying Pan: I used a large 11-inch stainless steel frying pan, though I recommend you use something bigger since you need enough space to mix in the pasta and chicken.
More Cajun Recipes For You to Enjoy
- Cajun Shrimp and Crab Mac and Cheese
- Cajun Shrimp Chicken and Steak Pasta
- Cajun Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo
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Let’s Get Cooking!
Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
This Cajun Chicken Pasta is an easy, mouth-watering recipe that’ll satisfy the whole family! Juicy cajun spiced chicken breasts are mixed with an ultra creamy sauce for the perfect weeknight dinner!
Ingredients
Pasta:
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 Ib. Rigatoni pasta
Cajun Chicken:
- 4 skinless boneless chicken breasts
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil + more for cooking
- 1 and ½ Tablespoons cajun seasoning
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
Creamy Cajun Sauce:
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 1 small red onion, diced
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 1 yellow pepper, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 4 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 Tablespoon cajun seasoning
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
For the Pasta:
- Fill a large pot with water and add the salt. Bring to a boil, then add your pasta and cook according to package directions.
For the Chicken:
- Add 2 chicken breasts to a large ziplock bag, leaving space in between them. Press the air out of the bag, then use a meat mallet to pound the chicken breasts until they’re an even ½-inch thick. Repeat with the other 2 chicken breasts.
- Place the chicken into a large shallow dish, then drizzle some olive oil onto both sides. Rub the oil to coat the chicken.
- Combine all the spices together in a small bowl, then sprinkle half onto one side of the chicken breasts. Use your hands to rub the spices into the chicken. Turn the chicken breasts over and season the other side with the remaining seasoning. Pick the chicken up and rub the spices into the chicken thoroughly. Set aside.
- Drizzle some oil into the bottom of your frying pan, heat over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add your chicken breasts and cook for 5-7 minutes without touching.
- Flip the chicken, then add the butter. If you could only fit 2 chicken breasts into your pan add 1 tablespoon of butter, if you could fit all 4, add both tablespoons of butter.
- Once the butter has melted, swirl your pan, then spoon some of the butter over the chicken to baste it. Allow the chicken to cook for another 5-7 minutes. Remove from the pan and place on a plate. Keep it covered while you work on the sauce.
For the Sauce:
- Add another 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan and allow it to melt.
- Once melted, add the diced onions, red peppers and yellow peppers. Stir them around and sauté for at least 3 minutes or until everything has softened.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring around. Add the tomato paste and stir it around to coat the vegetables.
- Pour in your heavy cream, then give it a little stir. Bring to a low boil. Once boiling, decrease the heat to low and allow the sauce to simmer for 8-10 minutes, whisking occasionally. The sauce should be thick enough to coat a spoon.
- Add the cajun seasoning and chicken broth. Stir to combine, then let the sauce cook for another 1-2 minutes.
- Turn off the heat, then sprinkle in the parmesan and stir until it’s combined. Add your cooked pasta and mix it into the sauce.
- Slice all the chicken breasts, then either stir them into the pasta or divide the pasta between plates and serve the chicken on top. Enjoy!
Notes
- Storage: store the pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 690Total Fat: 49gSaturated Fat: 27gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 193mgSodium: 2370mgCarbohydrates: 27gFiber: 3gSugar: 6gProtein: 36g
BON APPÉTIT!
Love, Dedra
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