Description
Enjoy a delicious restaurant-quality dish at home with this creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta recipe. Bursting with flavor and ready in just 30 minutes, it’s a perfect choice for a quick and satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Pasta:
- 12 ounces penne pasta
Cajun Chicken:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup diced white onion
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 4 large cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon paprika powder
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper**, more or less depending on taste
- 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 cup parmesan cheese, freshly shredded
- 1 cup heavy cream, or half and half
- 4 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
- ¼ cup chicken broth
Instructions
- Boil Pasta: Boil 6 cups of water. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, rinse, and set aside.
- Cook Vegetables: In a pot, cook butter, olive oil, and onion until translucent. Add bell pepper, garlic, Cajun seasoning, basil, paprika, black pepper, salt, and cayenne. Cook until bell pepper softens.
- Cook Chicken: Add chicken. Cook until done.
- Make Sauce: Add parmesan, heavy cream, cream cheese, and chicken broth. Cook until sauce thickens.
- Combine & Serve: Add pasta to sauce. Cook briefly, then serve topped with parsley.
Notes
- Storage: Best served fresh; store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days. Avoid freezing.
- Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of milk or cream.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 650
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 32g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 45g
- Cholesterol: 180mg
