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Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta

Creamy Cajun chicken pasta with penne coated in a rich, rusty-red Cajun cream sauce. Blackened chicken strips and charred bell peppers are folded through for bold, spicy flavor in an easy one-pan dinner.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Cajun-American
Calories: 860
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
  • 1.5 lb chicken breast Sliced into strips.
  • 2 tbsp Cajun seasoning Divided.
  • 1 lb penne pasta
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic Minced.
  • 1 red bell pepper Sliced.
  • 1 yellow bell pepper Sliced.
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1.5 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup parmesan cheese Grated.
  • 1 salt To taste.
  • 1 fresh parsley For garnish.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook pasta
  1. Bring salted water to a boil and cook penne until al dente, about 9–11 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain the pasta and set aside.
Blackened chicken
  1. Toss chicken strips with 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over high heat and sear chicken for 4–5 minutes until deeply blackened and cooked, then set aside with a visible dark sear crust.
Sauté peppers and garlic
  1. Melt butter in the same skillet and sauté red and yellow bell peppers for 3–4 minutes. Add garlic and the remaining Cajun seasoning and cook 1 minute, until fragrant and lightly charred on the edges.
Make Cajun cream sauce
  1. Add chicken broth and heavy cream to the skillet and simmer for 4–5 minutes. Stir until the sauce looks slightly thickened and coats the back of a spoon.
Combine and serve
  1. Stir in parmesan until melted, then toss in the drained pasta and reserved blackened chicken. Add pasta water as needed to make the sauce cling to every piece, then serve topped with fresh parsley.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the skillet over high heat for the chicken sear so you get a deep blackened crust before it’s set aside. Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of chicken broth to loosen the sauce. Freezing is not recommended for best cream texture. For a lighter swap, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream, expecting a slightly thinner sauce.