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Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta

Creamy Cajun chicken pasta with penne coated in a rich, rusty-red Cajun cream sauce. Sliced blackened chicken and charred bell peppers are stirred through for a bold Louisiana pasta dinner.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Cajun-American
Calories: 850
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken breast
  • 1.5 lb chicken breast Sliced into strips.
Cajun seasoning
  • 2 tbsp Cajun seasoning Divided: 1 tbsp for chicken, 1 tbsp for the sauce.
Penne pasta
  • 1 lb penne pasta Cook in salted boiling water until al dente.
Butter and olive oil
  • 2 tbsp butter Melt to build the sauce base.
  • 1 tbsp olive oil Used for searing chicken and starting aromatics.
Garlic and bell peppers
  • 3 cloves garlic Minced.
  • 1 red bell pepper Sliced.
  • 1 yellow bell pepper Sliced.
Creamy sauce base
  • 1 cup chicken broth Used to simmer and thicken the Cajun cream sauce.
  • 1.5 cup heavy cream Added with broth and simmered until slightly thickened.
  • 0.5 cup parmesan cheese Grated and stirred in until melted.
Salt and garnish
  • 0.25 salt To taste.
  • 0.25 fresh parsley For garnish.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook the pasta
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil, then cook the penne until al dente, about 8–11 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain and set aside.
Blacken the chicken
  1. Toss the chicken strips with 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over high heat, then sear the chicken for 4–5 minutes until deeply blackened and cooked through; set aside.
Build the Cajun cream sauce
  1. Melt butter in the same skillet, then sauté the red and yellow bell peppers for 3–4 minutes until they start to char. Add minced garlic and the remaining 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning, and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  2. Add chicken broth and heavy cream, then simmer for 4–5 minutes until slightly thickened. Stir in parmesan until melted and smooth, then toss with the drained pasta and reserved chicken.
  3. Add reserved pasta water a splash at a time as needed to coat the penne and loosen the sauce. Serve immediately, topped with fresh parsley.

Notes

For the best rusty-red sauce coating, keep the sauce at a gentle simmer and add pasta water gradually so it turns silky rather than watery. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of broth or cream to loosen. Freezing is not recommended due to cream sauce texture. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream (the sauce will be slightly less thick).