Bold creamy Cajun chicken pasta (Print Version)

Creamy Cajun-spiced chicken with sautéed peppers and pasta in a rich garlic cream sauce.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 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

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente. Drain, reserving ¼ cup of pasta water, and set pasta aside.
02 - Toss chicken strips with Cajun seasoning until evenly coated.
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 chicken 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 softened.
05 - Pour heavy cream and chicken broth into skillet. Stir thoroughly, scraping up browned bits. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.
06 - Reduce heat to low, stir in Parmesan cheese until fully melted and sauce is creamy. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
07 - Add cooked pasta, chicken, and reserved pasta water to skillet. Toss well to evenly coat and warm through.
08 - Plate immediately, garnishing with fresh parsley and additional Parmesan cheese as desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It feels fancy and restaurant-worthy, but comes together faster than takeout.
  • One skillet means minimal cleanup, which is secretly the real victory of weeknight cooking.
  • The sauce is rich and deeply flavored without requiring obscure ingredients or techniques.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving pasta water—that starch is what transforms a thin sauce into something that clings to every strand.
  • If your cream breaks or looks grainy, you likely overheated it. This taught me to always turn heat to low before adding the cheese.
03 -
  • Let your chicken rest a moment after cooking before adding it back—it stays more tender than if you keep moving it around.
  • Taste as you go and adjust seasoning before you plate, not after.
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