Bold Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta (Printable Version)

Tender chicken and sautéed peppers in a creamy, garlicky Cajun-inspired pasta sauce.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 16 oz), sliced into strips
02 - 1 ½ tablespoons Cajun seasoning
03 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Pasta

04 - 12 oz penne or fettuccine pasta

→ Vegetables

05 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
06 - 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
07 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Sauce

09 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
10 - 1 cup heavy cream
11 - ¼ cup chicken broth
12 - ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
13 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

14 - Fresh parsley, chopped
15 - Extra Parmesan cheese

# Steps:

01 - Boil pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente. Drain, reserving ¼ cup pasta water. Set pasta aside.
02 - Coat chicken strips evenly with Cajun seasoning.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until browned and cooked through. Remove from skillet and set aside.
04 - Melt butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Add bell peppers, red onion, and garlic. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until vegetables soften.
05 - Pour in heavy cream and chicken broth, scraping up browned bits from the skillet. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.
06 - Reduce heat to low and stir in Parmesan until melted and sauce is creamy. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
07 - Return cooked pasta and chicken to the skillet along with reserved pasta water. Toss to thoroughly coat and heat through.
08 - Plate immediately and garnish with chopped fresh parsley and additional Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in 40 minutes, which means weeknight dinner without the guilt of ordering takeout.
  • The Cajun seasoning does the heavy lifting—one coating transforms plain chicken into something bold and memorable.
  • Cream sauces are forgiving; you'll nail it on the first try because there's no delicate timing involved.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving pasta water—it's the secret to a sauce that clings instead of sliding off.
  • If your sauce breaks or looks grainy, it usually means the heat got too high or the cream was added too quickly; lower the temperature and stir gently until it smooths out again.
  • Cajun seasoning brands vary wildly in heat level, so taste as you go and adjust the amount next time based on how it turns out.
03 -
  • Brown your chicken in batches if your skillet feels crowded—overcrowding drops the temperature and leads to steaming instead of searing.
  • Keep your Parmesan block in the fridge and grate it fresh just before adding; it melts smoother and tastes cleaner than pre-grated versions.
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