Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta

Ingredients

• 250 grams Pasta (penne or your choice) (Cooked al dente)
• 2 pieces Chicken breasts (Flattened slightly with meat tenderizer)
• 4 tablespoons Vegetable oil (For cooking chicken and sautéing vegetables)
• to taste Salt (For pasta water and seasoning)
• 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning (For chicken and sauce seasoning)
• 1 teaspoon Onion powder (For chicken seasoning)
• 1 teaspoon Garlic powder (For chicken seasoning)
• 1 teaspoon Dried parsley (For chicken seasoning)
• 1 teaspoon Paprika (For chicken seasoning)
• 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning (For chicken seasoning)
• 1 tablespoon Butter (For sautéing vegetables)
• 0.5 cup Onion (Chopped)
• 0.5 cup Red bell pepper (Chopped)
• 0.5 cup Diced tomatoes (Fresh or canned)
• 0.5 cup Heavy cream (For creamy sauce)
• 0.5 cup Chicken broth (Added with heavy cream)
• 2 tablespoons Cream cheese (For extra creaminess)
• 1 teaspoon Chicken bouillon powder (Adds flavor to sauce)
• to taste Black pepper (For seasoning sauce)
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese (For garnish and flavor)

Instructions

1. Boil pasta

   Fill a large pot with water, add salt, and bring to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente according to package instructions (about 8-10 minutes). Drain the pasta and set aside.

   Time: PT12M

2. Prepare chicken breasts

   Place chicken breasts in a Ziploc bag and gently flatten them using a meat tenderizer to even thickness, about 1/2 inch thick. Be careful not to overdo it to avoid tearing the meat.

   Time: PT5M

3. Season chicken breasts

   Drizzle about 1 tablespoon of oil over the chicken breasts. In a small bowl, mix Cajun seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, dried parsley, paprika, and Old Bay seasoning. Sprinkle the seasoning mix evenly over the chicken breasts and rub it in thoroughly to ensure flavor penetration.

   Time: PT5M

4. Cook chicken breasts

   Heat 3-4 tablespoons of oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Place the chicken breasts in the skillet and cook for 5-7 minutes on the first side until golden brown. Flip and cook the other side for another 5 minutes or until cooked through (internal temperature 74°C). Remove chicken from skillet and let rest for 5 minutes to retain juices.

   Time: PT15M

   Temperature: Medium-high heat

5. Sauté vegetables

   In the same skillet, add 1 tablespoon butter. Add chopped onion, red bell pepper, and diced tomatoes. Cook over medium heat until onions are translucent and vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: Medium heat

6. Make creamy sauce

   Add heavy cream and chicken broth to the skillet with vegetables. Stir in cream cheese until melted and smooth. Add 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder and 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Simmer gently for 3-4 minutes to thicken slightly.

   Time: PT7M

   Temperature: Medium-low heat

7. Combine pasta and sauce

   Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and stir well to coat the pasta evenly with the creamy Cajun sauce.

   Time: PT2M

   Temperature: Low heat

8. Slice chicken and serve

   Slice the rested chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces. Add most of the chicken pieces into the pasta and stir gently. Reserve some chicken pieces for garnish. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the pasta and serve immediately.

   Time: PT4M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

650

Protein

45g

Carbohydrates

55g

Fat

28g

Fiber

4g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Pasta (penne or your choice): fettuccine, linguine, rigatoni
• Instead of Chicken breasts: chicken thighs
• Instead of Vegetable oil: olive oil, canola oil
• Instead of Salt: sea salt, kosher salt
• Instead of Cajun seasoning: Creole seasoning, homemade Cajun spice mix
• Instead of Onion powder: fresh onion finely minced
• Instead of Garlic powder: fresh garlic minced
• Instead of Dried parsley: fresh parsley chopped
• Instead of Paprika: smoked paprika
• Instead of Old Bay seasoning: cajun seasoning
• Instead of Butter: margarine, olive oil
• Instead of Onion: shallots
• Instead of Red bell pepper: green bell pepper, yellow bell pepper
• Instead of Diced tomatoes: cherry tomatoes diced
• Instead of Heavy cream: half-and-half, whole milk with butter
• Instead of Chicken broth: vegetable broth
• Instead of Cream cheese: mascarpone, ricotta
• Instead of Chicken bouillon powder: chicken stock cube
• Instead of Black pepper: white pepper
• Instead of Parmesan cheese: grana padano, pecorino romano

Equipment Needed

• Large pot
• Colander
• Ziploc bag
• Meat tenderizer
• Nonstick skillet
• Spatula or tongs
• Knife
• Cutting board

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Boil pasta until al dente.
• Flatten chicken breasts evenly without tearing.
• Season chicken thoroughly and rub in spices.
• Cook chicken until golden and fully cooked, then rest.
• Make creamy sauce by melting cream cheese into cream and broth.
• Combine pasta with sauce to coat well.
• Slice rested chicken and add to pasta before serving.

Chef Tips from the Video

• Flatten chicken breasts evenly for uniform cooking.
• Use a nonstick skillet for easier cooking and cleanup.
• Rest chicken after cooking to retain juices.
• Add cream cheese gradually to avoid lumps in sauce.
• Taste sauce before adding pasta to adjust seasoning.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Freezer: Not recommended due to cream sauce texture changes.

Room temperature: Do not leave pasta with cream sauce at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Cook chicken breasts and sauce ahead, store separately, and reheat gently before combining with pasta.
• Pasta can be cooked in advance and reheated with a splash of water or broth to loosen.

Frequently Asked Questions