Bold creamy Cajun chicken pasta (Printable)

Penne tossed with Cajun chicken, bell peppers, and a garlicky cream sauce for a flavorful dinner.

# Components:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approx. 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

# Directions:

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

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 40 minutes, which means dinner is ready before anyone gets too hungry or cranky.
  • The sauce is silky and forgiving—you can adjust the spice level to match who's sitting at your table.
  • One skillet does most of the heavy lifting, so cleanup is almost painless.
02 -
  • Don't let the cream boil hard or it can break and separate—keep it at a gentle simmer and you'll have silk instead of grease.
  • If your sauce looks too thick at the end, the reserved pasta water is your friend; stir in just a tablespoon at a time until it flows like you want it to.
03 -
  • Reserve that pasta water before you drain—it's starchy and creates an emulsion that makes your sauce coat the noodles instead of pooling at the bottom.
  • Don't grate your Parmesan with a box grater or use pre-grated cheese; a microplane or a proper cheese grater makes all the difference in how silky the sauce becomes.
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