Cajun Chicken Pasta Creamy (Printer-friendly)

Tender chicken and sautéed peppers in a creamy sauce with fettuccine pasta.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken & Marinade

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
04 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
05 - ½ teaspoon salt
06 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

→ Pasta

07 - 12 oz fettuccine or linguine pasta

→ Vegetables

08 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
09 - 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
10 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
11 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Creamy Sauce

12 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
13 - 1 cup heavy cream
14 - ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
15 - ½ teaspoon Cajun seasoning (extra, optional)
16 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

17 - Fresh parsley, chopped
18 - Extra grated Parmesan (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Pound chicken breasts between plastic wrap to even ¾ inch thickness. Rub with olive oil, Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Allow to marinate while preparing remaining ingredients.
02 - Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Cook fettuccine until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, drain, and set aside.
03 - Heat large skillet over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sear chicken 5-6 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to plate, cover, and rest 5 minutes. Slice into strips.
04 - In same skillet, add bell peppers and red onion. Sauté 3-4 minutes until just tender. Add garlic and cook 1 additional minute.
05 - Reduce heat to medium. Add butter, then pour in heavy cream. Stir and simmer gently 2-3 minutes. Add Parmesan, stir until melted and creamy. Add splash of pasta water if too thick. Season with salt, pepper, and extra Cajun seasoning to taste.
06 - Toss cooked pasta into sauce with sautéed vegetables. Add chicken slices on top or mix in. Toss to coat evenly. Serve hot, garnished with chopped parsley and extra Parmesan if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The combination of smoky spices and rich cream sauce hits every crave button
  • Its faster than takeout but tastes like you spent all day cooking
  • The leftovers reheat beautifully for lunch the next day
02 -
  • Heavy cream can separate if boiled too vigorously, so keep the heat at medium once you add it
  • The pasta water is your secret weapon for adjusting sauce consistency without thinning the flavor
  • Cajun seasoning blends vary in heat level, so taste before adding extra
03 -
  • Room temperature cream incorporates more smoothly into the sauce without risk of separating
  • Grate your Parmesan from a wedge instead of buying pre-grated for the best melt

Go back