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Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta combines tender penne pasta, sauteed bell peppers, and chicken smothered in a smoky, garlicky, well-seasoned, creamy sauce. It has a kick of heat, but the spice level can be easily adjusted to your liking.
If you love easy pasta recipes, be sure to check out my Garlic Butter Steak with Parmesan Alfredo, One-Pan Marry Me Orzo, Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad, or my One-Pan Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta.
Why You’ll Love Cajun Chicken Pasta
Not Too Heavy – The sauce is mostly milk based rather than heavy cream based making this creamy without being too decadent.
Easy Quick Dinner – You can feed the family in just 45 minutes with this easy pasta recipe.
Protein Packed – loaded with tender cajun-seasoned chicken but of course you can swap this for shrimp, salmon or even steak bites.
Loaded with Flavor – This creamy Cajun pasta is full of flavor. From the seasonings to the aromatics of the garlic, onions, and bell peppers, this is one memorable, flavorful dish.
Key Ingredients
Like most of my pasta recipes, this ingredient list is pretty straightforward, using many pantry and fridge staples.
Penne Pasta – tender penne pasta was my preference for cajun pasta but you can use any short or long pasta you have on-hand.
Chicken – coated in a cajun seasoning and cooked until tender.
Cajun Seasoning – my homemade blend adds so much more flavor than the store-bought versions. But use whatever is most convenient. I like to prep my homemade seasoning ahead of time to make it easier.
Aromatics – a blend of fresh garlic, red onion, and bell peppers.
Milk and Cream – this recipe is mostly milk with a splash of cream for a little richness.
Cheese – Monterey jack cheese is added to the creamy sauce toward the end of the cook time.
How to Make Cajun Chicken Pasta
Cook the chicken
Prep the chicken by pounding to a 1/4 inch even thickness. Drizzle over a little olive oil and rub chicken breasts so they are evenly coated. Liberally season with cajun seasoning on both sides.
Heat a large, deep skillet to medium heat. Add in 1 tablespoon olive oil. Cook the chicken, flipping only once, about 4 minutes per side (or until it’s cooked through). Set aside under tented foil.
Make the Cajun cream sauce
In the same skillet, still over medium heat, add 1 more tablespoon olive oil. Add the garlic, onions, and peppers. Cook for 7-8 minutes or until they soften, tossing frequently. Scrape up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan as they cook.
Sprinkle over 1 tablespoon of cajun seasoning and combine it with the onion mixture. Reduce heat to low.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the penne pasta to al dente according to the package instructions.
Add the pasta and finish
Slowly pour in the milk and heavy cream and bring to a low simmering boil, cooking for 5-7 minutes allowing it to thicken. Taste and adjust the seasoning, likely adding up to one additional tablespoon of cajun seasoning and a little salt and pepper to taste.
Add the cheese and stir until it melts into the sauce.
Slice up the chicken and place it on top of the pasta. Serve immediately.
Tips and Variations
- Prep ahead – It’s can be tedious to make your own seasoning blend, so I like to prep my cajun seasoning that morning or the day ahead so it’s ready to go when I need it. And it doesn’t hurt to double or triple the recipe so you have it on-hand for future recipes (like my Loaded Baked Potato with Steak Bites, Wingstop Cajun Corn, or my Garlic Butter Chicken Tenders).
- Use different pasta – You don’t have to use penne, although it’s our preferred choice for this Cajun chicken pasta. You can also use bow-tie (like in my Louisiana Chicken Pasta Bake), rigatoni, or even alfredo noodles. This pasta will be delicious no matter what you select.
- Make it heavy – If you want a more decadent alfredo-style sauce, swap out the milk for heavy cream in this recipe. That will yield a much richer sauce.
- Change the protein – This cajun chicken pasta is equally delicious with shrimp, salmon and steak bites. Steak isn’t as common in creamy pasta dishes but we used it in this Garlic Butter Steak with Parmesan Alfredo recipe and it was unbelievably delish.
- Lower carb – Swap out the standard pasta for a brand like Carpe Diem or Banza for a lower carb, higher fiber option.
Looking for More Chicken Pasta Recipes?
- Lemon Parmesan One-Pan Pasta
- Sausage Alfredo Ravioli Lasagna
- Lemon Pepper Chicken Alfredo (one-pan)
- Garlic Butter Steak with Parmesan Alfredo
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
- TikTok Million Dollar Spaghetti
- Creamy Sausage Alfredo Bake
- Chicken Scampi Stuffed Pasta Shells
- Cheesy Broccoli Chicken Pasta Bake
I hope you enjoyed this recipe for Cajun Chicken Pasta. Be sure to comment below with any questions or feedback!
If you make these or any other recipes, don’t forget to tag me on IG @BadBatchBaking to be featured on my story. Seeing your recreations makes my day!
Cajun Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 12 oz dry penne pasta
- 3 chicken breasts
- 3-4 tablespoons cajun seasoning* see notes below for my homemade recipe
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 1 red onion sliced thin
- 1 red bell pepper sliced thin
- 1 green bell pepper sliced thin
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup Monterey jack cheese shredded
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prep the chicken by pounding to a 1/4 inch even thickness. Drizzle over a little olive oil and rub chicken breasts so they are evenly coated. Liberally season with cajun seasoning on both sides.
- Heat a large, deep skillet to medium heat. Add in 1 tablespoon olive oil. Cook the chicken, flipping only once, about 4 minutes per side (or until it’s cooked through). Set aside under tented foil.
- In the same skillet, still over medium heat, add 1 more tablespoon olive oil. Add the garlic, onions, and peppers. Cook for 7-8 minutes or until they soften, tossing frequently. Scrape up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan as they cook.
- Sprinkle over 1 tablespoon of cajun seasoning and combine it with the onion mixture. Reduce heat to low.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the penne pasta to al dente according to the package instructions.
- Slowly pour in the milk and heavy cream over the onion mixture and bring to a low simmering boil, cooking for 5-7 minutes allowing it to thicken. Taste and adjust the seasoning, likely adding up to one additional tablespoon of cajun seasoning and a little salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the cheese and stir until it melts into the sauce.
- Slice up the chicken and place it on top of the pasta. Serve immediately.
Notes
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ¾ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon brown sugar
- ¾ teaspoon cayenne pepper, add more if you like heat
- ¼ teaspoon cracked pepper, to taste
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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