If you like a kick in your food, this creamy Cajun Pasta with chicken is the recipe for you! Juicy seasoned and seared chicken with pasta in the most delicious creamy cajun alfredo sauce.

If you love the flavor of cajun seasoning, then you’ll love Cajun Shrimp and the Beef Fajitas using the seasoning.

Creamy Cajun Chicken pasta recipe in a skillet topped with chicken, mushrooms, tomatoes and a wooden spoon.

CREAMY CAJUN PASTA RECIPE-

Though I love pasta of any kind, this cajun pasta has a special place in my heart. I love the combination of the juicy cajun chicken with the pasta and alfredo sauce. This is the kind of dinner everyone can enjoy!

What is Cajun?
Cajun is a seasoning blend of spices that originates from Louisiana. The blend consists of pepper, cayenne pepper, garlic, onion powder, and paprika – in our blend, we add Italian seasoning and which adds a depth of flavor.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe:

  • Easy to Make– The recipe comes together in just 30 minutes making it a great choice to make any time of the week.
  • Customizable- You can easily customize the pasta by adding more ingredients or taking some out.
  • Heat controllable- You can control the heat by adding more or less of the seasoning.
Creamy cajun pasta with cooked chicken, tomatoes, and mushrooms in a skillet topped with Parmesan cheese.

What You’ll Need:

The ingredients for this pasta recipe are so simple! Let’s prep our ingredients and get them measured.

  • Pasta- We used penne pasta for the recipe, be sure to cook al dente.
  • Chicken- Though we used chicken breast, chicken thighs or tenderloins will work just fine.
  • Seasoning- I may be biased, but our homemade seasoning is just the best. So we used 1 portion of the Cajun Seasoning. You can substitute for store-bought seasoning if you’d like.
  • Tomatoes- The diced tomatoes enhance the sauce.
  • Mushrooms- You can skip the mushrooms altogether but they do go great in this pasta. Your favorite mushrooms will work, white mushrooms, portabellas or even shiitake mushrooms.
  • Butter and oil- Used to saute the ingredients and add richness.
  • Heavy cream- The heavy whipping cream is the main ingredient for the cajun sauce. It’s wonderful. If you want a lighter sauce, do have heavy cream and half and half.
  • Parmesan cheese- You can freshly grate parmesan or just use store-bought grated parmesan.
How to make cajun chicken pasta with seasoned, seared chicken, penne pasta and a creamy cajun sauce,

HOW TO MAKE CAJUN PASTA-

This one-pan cajun pasta with chicken comes together so quickly in just under 30 minutes and the taste is phenomenal.

  • Cook pasta: In a large pot, cook the pasta al dente according to package instructions. Drain the water and keep covered to keep warm.
  • Make the seasoning: In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the homemade Cajun seasoning. Combine the salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder, paprika, cayenne pepper and Italian seasoning.
  • Season the chicken: Gently beat chicken with a meat mallet until even in thickness and season both sides with half of the cajun spice, and reserve the remaining seasoning for the sauce.
  • Cook the chicken: Over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil and saute the chicken until crispy and cooked. Once cooked, remove the chicken from the skillet and cover to keep it warm.
  • Make sauce: Saute the mushrooms with butter until browned over medium heat. Add garlic and tomatoes, stir and cook for 1 minute. Add the cream, parmesan cheese and remaining seasoning and bring to a soft boil allow to simmer until the sauce thickens
  • Combine everything: Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces or strips and add to the sauce with the pasta. Stir and cook just until the chicken and pasta are reheated.
  • Serve: Garnish with fresh herbs like cilantro or parsley (optional) and enjoy.

CREAMY CAJUN CHICKEN PASTA BAKE-

This pasta can easily be turned into a chicken pasta bake. Follow per instructions and transfer to a baking dish, top with more than a cup of your favorite shredded cheese and grated parmesan and bake until cheese melts. So easy.

Cajun chicken pasta in a skillet topped with fresh greens mixed in the best cajun alfredo sauce.

Variations and Additions:

You can personalize the pasta to your liking, here are some great ideas to put a spin on this recipe.

  • Add vegetables- Though we use mushrooms already, you can add broccoli, zucchini, asparagus and sliced bell peppers.
  • Use different protein- Use sausage, shrimp or beef instead of chicken.
  • Different pasta-  You can easily substitute the penne for 8 oz of your favorite pasta, short or long. Pasta like linguine, spaghetti, shells, bowtie or even macaroni will work.

Serving Suggestions-

If you’re looking for a side dish to the pasta, here are some great serving ideas:

Close up of chicken cajun pasta in pan.

Storing:

  • Refrigerator- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
  • Freeze- We do not recommend freezing the pasta dish.
  • Reheat- Add skillet to stovetop and reheat over medium heat, if pasta is dry, add some more butter and cream.

More Pasta Recipes:

Cajun Pasta Recipe (with Chicken)

Author: Valentina
Print
4.94 from 16 votes
The BEST Homemade Cajun Chicken Pasta recipe! Juicy chicken breast with sauteed mushrooms and pasta smothered in the best creamy cajun alfredo sauce.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

pasta-

  • 8 oz penne pasta
  • 2 tomatoes, diced
  • 8 oz mushrooms, sliced or quartered
  • 1 lb chicken breasts, boneless skinless (2 chicken breasts)
  • 1 Tbsp oil (canola or olive)
  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 3 garlic cloves, mined

cajun seasoning-

Instructions

  • Cook pasta according to package instructions, al dente. Drain and cover to keep warm.
  • In a bowl, combine the ingredients for the Cajun seasoning.
  • Beat the chicken breast with a meat mallet until even in thickness and season both sides. Leave half of the seasoning for the pasta sauce.
  • In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, heat 1 Tbsp oil. Once hot, add chicken and sear 2 minutes per side, until crispy. Turn down heat to low, cover skillet and cook another 5 minutes. The chicken will become tender and juicy.
  • Transfer chicken to a plate and cover to keep warm. 
  • In the same skillet, over med/high heat, sauté sliced mushroom with 1 Tbsp butter, lightly season with salt and pepper.
  • Add garlic, 1 Tbsp butter, and cubed tomatoes, cook for 2 minutes.
  • Pour in the heavy whipping cream, add the parmesan cheese and the leftover seasonings. Mix and bring to a simmer, cook until sauce thickens, stirring as needed.
  • Cube or slice the chicken. 
  • Add the chicken and pasta to the skillet with the sauce.
  • Serve with parmesan cheese and garnish with fresh herbs, optional.
  • Enjoy, friends. 🙂

Nutrition

545kcal Calories35g Carbs27g Protein33g Fat18g Saturated Fat145mg Cholesterol1027mg Sodium681mg Potassium2g Fiber3g Sugar2060IU Vitamin A8.6mg Vitamin C167mg Calcium1.6mg Iron
Nutrition Facts
Cajun Pasta Recipe (with Chicken)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 545 Calories from Fat 297
% Daily Value*
Fat 33g51%
Saturated Fat 18g113%
Cholesterol 145mg48%
Sodium 1027mg45%
Potassium 681mg19%
Carbohydrates 35g12%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 27g54%
Vitamin A 2060IU41%
Vitamin C 8.6mg10%
Calcium 167mg17%
Iron 1.6mg9%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
(The nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.)