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Cajun Chicken Pasta

By Martis Guleryan Updated

In short: Sear Cajun-spiced chicken, sauté red pepper and garlic in the same skillet, simmer a cream and broth sauce with Parmesan, and toss with penne. About 30 minutes; serves 4.

  • 30 min
  • 4 servings
  • Easy
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Creamy Cajun chicken penne with sliced blackened chicken, red peppers and parsley in a white bowl
Illustrative AI-generated photo.

Why you’ll love this recipe

This is a creamy pasta with more personality than the usual Alfredo. Cajun spice on the chicken toasts in the hot pan, and those browned bits season the cream sauce.

  • About 30 minutes with the pasta and chicken cooking at the same time.
  • Adjustable heat — easy to make mild or spicy.
  • One skillet for the chicken and sauce.

Blackened, not burned

Blackening relies on spices meeting a hot pan. Medium-high heat toasts the paprika, garlic and pepper in the Cajun blend into a dark, flavorful crust in a few minutes. Thin cutlets are important here — they cook through before the spices have time to scorch. If your seasoning starts to smell bitter or smoke heavily, lower the heat. Let the chicken rest a few minutes before slicing so the juices stay inside.

Ingredient substitutions

Instead ofYou can use
Chicken breastsSliced andouille sausage (brown it first) or peeled shrimp, cooked 1–2 minutes per side until pink and opaque.
Heavy creamHalf-and-half; simmer gently over medium-low so it does not curdle.
PenneLinguine or fettuccine.
Cajun chicken pasta in a skillet with sliced chicken and red bell pepper

Cajun Chicken Pasta

Prep
10 min
Cook
20 min
Total
30 min

Ingredients

Servings
4 servings

Pasta and chicken

Cajun cream sauce

Metric weights use ingredient-specific densities from King Arthur Baking — Ingredient Weight Chart. For baking, weighing is more accurate than cups.

Instructions

Tap a step number to mark it done.

  1. Step 1: Cook the pasta

    Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the penne 1 minute less than the package directions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain.

  2. Step 2: Season and sear the chicken

    Pat the cutlets dry and rub with 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning and the salt. Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat and cook 4–5 minutes per side, until well browned and 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part. Rest on a cutting board.

    Tip: The spices darken quickly — that is the blackened look you want. If they start to smell acrid, turn the heat down to medium.

  3. Step 3: Sauté the vegetables

    Lower the heat to medium and melt the butter in the same skillet. Add the bell pepper and onion and cook 3–4 minutes until crisp-tender. Add the garlic and 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning and cook 30 seconds.

  4. Step 4: Simmer the sauce

    Pour in the broth and scrape up the browned bits. Add the cream and simmer gently 3–4 minutes until slightly thickened.

  5. Step 5: Add the Parmesan

    Take the skillet off the heat and stir in the Parmesan a handful at a time until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

  6. Step 6: Toss and serve

    Add the penne and toss, loosening with pasta water as needed until the sauce is creamy. Slice the chicken and arrange it on top, then sprinkle with parsley.

    Tip: Store-bought Cajun blends vary a lot in salt and heat. Taste the sauce before adding any extra salt.

Equipment

Tips for the best results

  • Use a salt-free Cajun seasoning if you can find one, so you control the salt separately from the spice.
  • For milder pasta, cut the Cajun seasoning in the sauce to 1 teaspoon and add more at the table.
  • Grate Parmesan from a block for the smoothest sauce.

Storage, reheating and freezing

Refrigerator
Refrigerate within 2 hours in an airtight container for 3–4 days.
Reheating
Reheat in a skillet over medium-low with a splash of milk or broth, stirring until it reaches 165°F (74°C).
Freezing
Not recommended. The cream sauce separates and the pasta turns soft after thawing.

Frequently asked questions

Is Cajun chicken pasta very spicy?

It has moderate heat from the cayenne in most Cajun blends. Use less seasoning in the sauce for a milder version, or add red pepper flakes for more.

What is the difference between Cajun and Creole seasoning?

They overlap a lot. Creole blends usually lean more on herbs like oregano and thyme, while Cajun blends tend to be more pepper-forward. Either works here.

How do I keep the cream sauce from breaking?

Keep it at a gentle simmer instead of a hard boil, and add the Parmesan off the heat.

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Written by Martis Guleryan

Martis Guleryan is the founder of Joyful Home Cooking and writes and edits the recipes and cooking guides on the site, with a focus on easy weeknight dinners, family-friendly baking and clear, practical steps.

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