Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
One pan, creamy sauce, and dinner is handled.
When you want something comforting but don’t have the energy for a fussy dinner, this one-pan creamy Cajun chicken pasta is a solid move. It gives you tender chicken, a saucy noodle dinner, and enough spice to feel like an actual meal without making your kitchen look like a project. Everything comes together in one pan, so cleanup stays manageable. Expect a rich, cozy pasta with a little kick; you can keep it mild or turn up the heat depending on how tired you are and how spicy you want tonight to be.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts — Cut into bite-size pieces
- 2 tbsp Cajun seasoning — Use less if your blend is salty
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 unit yellow onion — Diced
- 1 unit red bell pepper — Sliced
- 3 unit garlic cloves — Minced
- 12 oz penne pasta
- 3 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 unit lemon — Juiced
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley — For serving
Method
- 1 Season the chicken with Cajun seasoning. Heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat, then cook the chicken until browned and mostly cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
- 2 Add the onion and bell pepper to the same pan and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic for 30 seconds.
- 3 Add the pasta, chicken broth, milk, and cream. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook, stirring once or twice, until the pasta is tender and the liquid has thickened, 12 to 15 minutes.
- 4 Stir the chicken, butter, and Parmesan into the pasta. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes more until the chicken is fully cooked and the sauce is creamy. Finish with lemon juice and parsley, then taste and add a little more Cajun seasoning if you want more punch.
Variations
- Vegetarian swap — Skip the chicken and use 12 oz sliced mushrooms or 2 cups cauliflower florets; cook them until browned before adding the pasta.
- Faster swap — Use rotisserie chicken and stir in 2 cups shredded chicken at the end so the pasta cooks without the extra browning step.
- Simple substitutions — Swap penne for rotini or rigatoni, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream, or add spinach in the last 2 minutes for extra greens.
Notes
If your Cajun seasoning is very salty, start with 1 tbsp and add more at the end. For a looser sauce, splash in a little extra broth. Chicken is done at 165°F.
Equipment that helps
- Large deep skillet with lid — It gives the pasta enough room to simmer and keeps the whole dinner truly one-pan.
- Wooden spoon or spatula — It helps scrape up the browned bits that build the sauce’s flavor.
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