One-Pan Creamy Cajun Chicken Sausage Pasta
When you want dinner to feel bold but your energy is low, this one-pan pasta does the thinking for you.
This is the kind of dinner to make when you’re tired, hungry, and very done with extra dishes. It gives you the cozy, creamy Cajun pasta payoff without asking for much attention: brown the chicken sausage, simmer the pasta in one pan, and stir in a quick cream sauce at the end. It’s weeknight-comforting, a little smoky, and flexible if your fridge is sparse. Expect a rich, saucy skillet meal that tastes like more effort than it actually takes. If you can chop an onion and stir a pot, you can make this tonight.
Ingredients
- 12 oz chicken sausage — sliced into coins
- 8 oz penne pasta
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 unit yellow onion — small, diced
- 3 unit garlic cloves — minced
- 1 unit red bell pepper — thinly sliced
- 2 tsp Cajun seasoning
- 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
- 2.5 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup milk
- 0.5 cup heavy cream
- 4 oz cream cheese — softened and cubed
- 0.75 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 2 cup baby spinach
- 0.5 unit lemon — juice, optional but brightens the sauce
- 0.25 tsp black pepper
Method
- 1 Heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken sausage and cook until browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic, Cajun seasoning, and smoked paprika for 30 seconds.
- 2 Add the pasta, chicken broth, milk, heavy cream, and black pepper. Bring to a simmer, then cook uncovered, stirring often, until the pasta is tender and the sauce has thickened, 10 to 12 minutes.
- 3 Stir in the cream cheese until smooth, then add the Parmesan and spinach. Cook 1 to 2 minutes more until the spinach wilts and the sauce looks creamy. Finish with lemon juice if using, then taste and add more Cajun seasoning if you want extra kick.
- 4 Serve hot straight from the pan while saucy.
Variations
- Vegetarian swap — Swap the chicken sausage for sliced mushrooms or canned white beans and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
- Faster swap — Use pre-sliced chicken sausage, frozen diced onion and pepper mix, and short pasta like rotini to cut prep time further.
- Substitutions — No cream cheese? Use an extra 1/4 cup heavy cream and a little more Parmesan. No spinach? Fold in frozen peas at the end.
Notes
If the skillet looks too thick before the pasta is done, add a splash more broth or water. For a milder version, use less Cajun seasoning and add it at the table. Leftovers reheat well with a splash of water or milk.
Equipment that helps
- Large deep skillet with lid — A roomy pan keeps the pasta submerged and lets the sauce reduce in the same place.
- Wooden spoon — It helps you scrape the pan and stir often so the pasta cooks evenly.
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