Cajun Chicken Pasta

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Cajun Chicken Pasta is a pasta dish filled with southern creole flavor. This incredible meal in one has a little bit of heat and a whole lot of love!

Cajun Chicken Pasta

There is nothing like southern comfort food. A good home cooked meal that is packed with flavors from the south is always a great one to gather the family for. My Cajun Chicken Pasta sticks to your ribs well. Each bite has a hint of smoky southern spices and offers just a little bit of heat on the palate. Nothing too spicy, but enough to wake up your senses. This dinner offers something a little bit different that your family might not expect from a pasta dish.

WHAT MAKES THIS PASTA CAJUN?

I love traveling to the southern states specifically for the flavors. Cajun and creole style cooking never shies on a beautiful flavor balance of smoke, heat, and spice. This meal is all that and more! My homemade Cajun seasoning is incredible, but if you have a favorite then use yours and it will only make you fall in love more.

THE SECRET IS IN THE SAUCE!

To quote one of my favorite movies set in the south, Fried Green Tomatoes, “The secret is in the sauce.” Well, my friends, it’s true, the secret to this dish is the homemade sauce. It pairs so well with the Cajun seasoned chicken. This simple sauce only requires butter, garlic, heavy cream, and Parmesan cheese. Easy and flavorful, this is the secret that brings all the components of this dinner together.

HOW DO I COOK THE CHICKEN FOR THE PASTA?

After your chicken is finished marinating, whether it be overnight or just for 5 minutes, you can cook it on your stovetop in a pan as instructed. If you want an extra layer of smoky flavor then I recommend grilling the chicken. It will make it that much more Cajun! If you want to try something a little different use shrimp in place of the chicken. Marinate just the same, and then throw on the grill before adding to your pasta dish.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

MORE DELICIOUS PASTA RECIPES YOU MAY LIKE:

Chicken Mozzarella Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes – A quick and easy pasta dish with sun-dried tomatoes for an elegant touch.

Chicken Ranch Pasta Bake – Tender pasta with pieces of chicken and crispy bacon baked in a creamy sauce and cheese.

Broccoli and Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells – Jumbo pasta shells packed with broccoli, chicken, and cheese.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4
Author Holly

Ingredients

  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • 1 tablespoon cajun seasoning (My cajun seasoning recipe is below)
  • 8 ounces dried penne pasta
  • 2 tablespoons salted butter
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 2 Roma tomatoes diced
  • chopped fresh parsley leaves if desired

Instructions

  • In a large Ziploc bag add chicken, 1 tablespoon olive oil and cajun seasoning. Rub and shake to coat chicken. Let it sit for at least 5 minutes OR it can marinate in your fridge for up to 8 hours.
  • Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken and cook about 6 minutes on each side or until heated through. Internal temperature should reach 165 degrees F. Remove to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
  • In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook penne pasta according to package instructions; drain well.
  • Wipe skillet clean (be careful it will be hot!) and melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic, and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant.
  • Gradually whisk in heavy cream. Cook, whisking constantly, until incorporated, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in Parmesan until slightly thickened. If the mixture is too thick, add more heavy cream as needed; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  • Stir in pasta and gently toss to combine.
    Serve immediately with chicken, garnished with tomatoes and parsley, if desired.

Notes

Cajun Seasoning: 
1 Tablespoon Onion Powder, 1 Tablespoon Dried Thyme, 1 Tablespoon Ground Cayenne Red Pepper, 2 Tablespoons Garlic Powder, 2 Tablespoons Paprika, 1 Tablespoon Salt, 1 Tablespoon Black Pepper. Combine all together in a small air tight container. Store tightly covered for up to six months.

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Cajun Chicken Pasta

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8 thoughts on “Cajun Chicken Pasta

  1. This makes me think of when O’Charley’s first opened here when I was a junior in high school and I thought it was SO good. Cajun chicken pasta was my favorite thing to order! This looks way better than that. Thanks for the recipe!

  2. Looks like you’ve updated this recipe to a new one that looks really yummy. Do you still have the old one with the cajun spice mix amounts? That meal is a favorite of ours and if I lose that recipe I’m in big trouble! Thanks for your help!

    1. Hi Lynn! Yes I deleted the old one but I still have that other version’s cajun mix seasoning. Here it is below:

      CAJUN SEASONING MIX
      1 Tablespoon Onion Powder
      1 Tablespoon Dried Thyme
      1 Tablespoon Ground Red Pepper (Cayenne)
      2 Tablespoons Garlic Powder
      2 Tablespoons Paprika
      1 Tablespoon Salt
      1 Tablespoon Black Pepper
      Combine all together in a small air tight container. Store for up to six months.

  3. It would appear that since this makes 4 servings that a serving is 1/2 a chicken breast?? Maybe for a child but for an adult??? This recipe would be just about right for my husband and me so I guess we’ll be eating 2 servings each. 🙂 Would I be the only one who thinks half a chicken breast is not really a dinner-size meal?

    1. We get the large frozen chicken breasts at Costco, so my family only eats half of them. That’s where I get the two servings from one 🙂

  4. Everyone loved it! I didn’t have penne so I used spaghetti. I think penne would definitely have been much better.

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