Cajun Chicken Pasta Cream (Printable Version)

A creamy pasta with Cajun-spiced chicken, bell peppers, and rich Parmesan sauce.

# What You'll Need:

→ For the Chicken

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
03 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ For the Pasta

04 - 12 oz penne or fettuccine
05 - Salt, for pasta water

→ For the Sauce

06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
07 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
08 - 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
09 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
10 - 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
11 - 1 cup heavy cream
12 - 1/4 cup chicken broth
13 - 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
14 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

15 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
16 - Extra grated Parmesan (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water.
02 - Pat chicken breasts dry and coat evenly with Cajun seasoning.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts and cook for 5-6 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through (internal temperature 165°F). Remove to a plate, let rest for 5 minutes, then slice thinly.
04 - In the same skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add bell peppers and sauté for 3-4 minutes until just tender. Add garlic and Cajun seasoning, stirring for 30 seconds until fragrant.
05 - Pour in heavy cream and chicken broth, stirring to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened.
06 - Stir in Parmesan cheese until melted and smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If sauce is too thick, thin with reserved pasta water as needed.
07 - Add cooked pasta and sliced chicken to the skillet. Toss well to coat everything in the sauce and heat through.
08 - Divide among plates, garnish with parsley and extra Parmesan if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The Cajun seasoning creates this incredible crust on the chicken that you will want to eat straight from the pan
  • The cream sauce comes together in minutes but tastes like it simmered all afternoon
  • Everything cooks in one skillet (plus the pasta pot), making cleanup surprisingly manageable
02 -
  • Letting the chicken rest after cooking is non-negotiable, cutting it too soon will release all those juices right onto your cutting board instead of keeping them in the meat
  • The sauce will continue thickening as it stands off the heat, so do not reduce it too much in the pan
  • If the sauce breaks or looks grainy, whisk in a tiny splash of cold cream and it will come back together
03 -
  • Cook the peppers just until they are tender, not mushy, they should still have a little bite to contrast with the soft pasta
  • The sauce will look thin at first but will thicken beautifully as the Parmesan melts and it simmers for those couple minutes

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