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Quick & Easy 30-Minute Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta

A close-up of creamy cajun chicken pasta featuring fettuccine noodles coated in a rich orange sauce, topped with seasoned chicken pieces and fresh parsley.
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Make restaurant-style creamy Cajun chicken pasta at home in just 30 minutes. This recipe delivers bold Cajun flavor and a truly velvety sauce perfect for a satisfying weeknight dinner.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning (use more for extra spice)
  • 12 ounces linguine or fettuccine pasta
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup reserved pasta water
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Season the chicken pieces evenly with salt, pepper, and Cajun seasoning.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set it aside.
  3. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve about 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta and set it aside.
  4. Reduce the heat under the skillet to medium. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Do not let the garlic burn.
  5. Pour in the chicken broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Let it simmer for 1 minute.
  6. Stir in the heavy cream and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly. This step is key for a velvety sauce.
  7. Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until it melts smoothly into the sauce. If the sauce seems too thick, add a tablespoon of the reserved pasta water at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
  8. Return the cooked chicken to the skillet. Add the drained pasta and toss everything together until the pasta and chicken are fully coated in the creamy Cajun sauce.
  9. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh parsley. This dish is a flavor-packed chicken dinner that tastes better than takeout.

Notes

  • For a richer sauce, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream, but simmer longer to reduce and thicken.
  • To avoid dry chicken, make sure you do not overcook the chicken in the first step; it will finish cooking when tossed with the hot pasta and sauce.
  • For a shrimp Cajun pasta variation, substitute the chicken with 1 pound of peeled and deveined shrimp, cooking them for only 2-3 minutes until pink before setting them aside.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cookingzenith.com/creamy-cajun-chicken-pasta-recipe/