Cajun Chicken Pasta Dish (Printable Version)

Tender Cajun-spiced chicken with creamy sauce and sautéed peppers over pasta for a comforting dinner.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 1 lb), 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 Make It:

01 - Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain, reserving ¼ cup of pasta water, and set pasta aside.
02 - Toss chicken strips with Cajun seasoning until evenly coated.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until browned and fully cooked. Remove chicken and set aside.
04 - In the same skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add bell peppers, red onion, and garlic; sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until vegetables are softened.
05 - Pour in heavy cream and chicken broth, stirring to combine and scraping any browned bits from the pan. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until slightly thickened.
06 - Reduce heat to low, stir in Parmesan cheese until melted and sauce is creamy. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
07 - Add cooked pasta, chicken, and reserved pasta water to the skillet. Toss to evenly coat with sauce and heat through.
08 - Plate immediately and garnish with chopped fresh parsley and additional Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The Cajun spices give you restaurant-quality depth without any fuss or fancy ingredients.
  • You can have it on the table in 40 minutes, making it perfect for those nights when cooking needs to happen fast.
  • The creamy sauce clings to every strand of pasta, and your guests will absolutely ask for the recipe.
02 -
  • Never let the cream boil—if it does, the texture breaks and you'll end up with a grainy sauce that no amount of stirring can fix.
  • Reserve your pasta water before draining because that starchy liquid is what makes the sauce cling to the pasta instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
03 -
  • Don't crowd the skillet when browning the chicken—if you do, it steams instead of getting that beautiful golden crust that adds so much flavor.
  • Taste the sauce before adding the pasta because that's your last chance to adjust the seasoning without it getting diluted by the starch from the pasta water.
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