Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
This easy Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta recipe is jam-packed with the savory flavors of Cajun spices with each scrumptious bite!
How to Make Cajun Chicken Pasta
This Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta recipe is simply divine! Each bite of this dish is infused with the aromatic and savory flavors of Cajun spices that is balanced out in a rich, creamy sauce. To make this recipe, you will need the key ingredients shared below:
Key Ingredients
- Rigatoni Pasta
- Chicken Breasts
- White or Yellow Onion
- Red Bell pepper
- Green Bell pepper
- Garlic
- Heavy Cream
- Parmesan Cheese
- Baby Spinach
- Seasonings (Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt and black pepper)
- Unsalted Butter
- Avocado or Olive Oil
Preparation
- Prepare Chicken – in a mixing bowl, add the chicken breasts, seasonings and oil. Mix well to combine. Heat some oil in a large pan over medium heat. Cook the chicken breasts, about 5-6 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature of the chicken registers 165F on a kitchen thermometer. Remove from heat and set aside to cool to room temperature before cutting the into even slices.
- Cook Pasta – boil the pasta in generously salted water to al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
- Make Sauce – under medium heat, melt the butter in the same pan used to cook the chicken. Add in the onions and garlic and cook until the onion starts soften, about 2-3 minutes. Mix in the bell peppers and cook until tender, about 2-3 minutes. Add in the heavy cream and seasonings. Mix to combine and then gradually mix in the parmesan cheese. Reduce heat to low and simmer the sauce while stirring for 4-5 minutes or until it starts to thicken. Check sauce consistency. If the sauce appears too thick, mix in some of the reserved pasta water to thin out to desired consistency.
- Assembly – Mix the spinach into the sauce just until it starts to wilt and then mix in the cooked pasta. Place slice chicken on top of pasta or mix in. Garnish pasta with fresh parsley and extra parmesan cheese (optional) before serving.
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Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
This easy Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta recipe is jam-packed with the savory flavors of Cajun spices with each scrumptious bite!
Servings: 3
Ingredients
Chicken Breasts
- 2 large chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds), pounded into even thickness
- 2 tablespoons avocado or olive oil, plus more for cooking
- 2 teaspoons cajun seasoning
- 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Pasta
- 8 ounces rigatoni
Cajun Cream Sauce
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 3/4 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated, plus more for garnish
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cajun seasoning
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 1/2 small white or yellow onion (about a 1/3 cup), finely chopped
- 1/2 medium red pepper, diced
- 1/2 medium green pepper, diced
- 6 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 cup baby spinach, loosely packed
- 1/2 cup reserved pasta water, use as needed
- fresh parsley, finely chopped, garnish (optional)
Instructions
For the Chicken
- In a mixing bowl, add the chicken breasts, seasonings (Cajun seasoning, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper) and oil. Mix well to combine.
- Heat up some oil in a large pan over medium heat. Cook the chicken breasts, about 5-6 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature of the chicken registers 165F on a kitchen thermometer. Remove from heat and set aside to cool to room temperature before cutting into even slices.
For the Pasta and Sauce
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil under medium high heat. Cook the pasta to al dente according to package instructions. As the pasta cooks, start on the sauce.
- Under medium heat, melt the butter in the same pan used to cook the chicken. Add in the onions and garlic and cook until the onions starts to soften, about 2-3 minutes. Mix in the bell peppers and cook until tender, about 2-3 minutes.
- Next, add in the heavy cream and seasonings (Cajun seasoning, paprika, salt and black pepper). Mix to combine and then gradually mix in the parmesan cheese.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer the sauce while stirring for 4-5 minutes or until it starts to thicken.
- Scoop out 1/2 cup of the pasta water before draining the cooked pasta. Check sauce consistency. If the sauce appears too thick, mix in some of the reserved pasta water to thin out to desired consistency.
Assembly
- Mix in the spinach into the sauce just until it starts to wilt and then mix in the cooked pasta. Place sliced chicken breasts on top of the pasta or mix in.
- Garnish pasta with fresh parsley and extra parmesan cheese (optional) before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- If you prefer your chicken on the thinner side, cut chicken breasts in half before gently pounding into even thickness
