Bold creamy Cajun chicken pasta (Printable)

Tender chicken tossed in Cajun spices with sautéed peppers and creamy sauce on pasta.

# What you'll need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (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

# Method:

01 - Boil pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente. Drain, reserving ¼ cup pasta water, then set pasta aside.
02 - Coat chicken strips evenly with Cajun seasoning.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken for 5 to 7 minutes until browned and cooked through. Remove from skillet and set aside.
04 - In the same skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add bell peppers, red onion, and garlic; sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until tender.
05 - Pour in heavy cream and chicken broth, stirring to release browned bits from the pan. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until slightly thickened.
06 - Reduce heat to low and stir in Parmesan until melted and sauce is creamy. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
07 - Return pasta and chicken to skillet, add reserved pasta water, and toss to coat evenly with sauce. Heat through.
08 - Plate immediately and garnish with fresh parsley and additional Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you've been cooking all day, but your actual hands-on time is barely half an hour.
  • The cream sauce is forgiving—it hides small mistakes and rewards bold seasoning.
  • Picky eaters suddenly become enthusiastic when they taste how the spices coat each strand of pasta.
02 -
  • If your sauce breaks or looks grainy, it usually means the heat was too high when you added cheese—low heat and patience fix almost everything.
  • Taste before you serve; Cajun seasoning blends vary so much that what's perfect one time might need adjustment the next.
03 -
  • Don't skip reserving pasta water—it's the secret to a sauce that coats instead of coats.
  • Taste the spice blend straight from the jar before committing to the full amount; some brands are significantly hotter than others.
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