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Cajun Chicken Spaghetti

Cajun chicken spaghetti with spicy chicken pasta tossed in a smoky, deep-red Cajun cream sauce. Blackened chicken slices and bell peppers cling to every strand, finished with parmesan and fresh parsley.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Cajun-American
Calories: 780
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 1.5 lb chicken breast
Pasta
  • 12 oz spaghetti
Cajun seasoning
  • 2 tbsp cajun seasoning divided
Fats
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
Vegetables
  • 1 onion sliced
  • 1 red bell pepper sliced
  • 4 clove garlic minced
Cream sauce base
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1.5 cup heavy cream
Toppings
  • 0.5 cup parmesan grated
  • salt to taste
  • fresh parsley for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook spaghetti
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook spaghetti until al dente, about the time on the package. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, drain, and set spaghetti aside with a quick visual check for firm bite in the center.
Blacken the chicken
  1. Pat chicken breast slices dry and season with 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning. Heat olive oil in a skillet over high heat and sear chicken for 4–5 minutes until blackened, then set aside and cover loosely.
Build the Cajun cream sauce
  1. In the same skillet, melt butter, then cook onion and bell pepper for 4 minutes. Stir until softened with lightly browned edges, then add garlic and the remaining Cajun seasoning and cook 1 minute while fragrant.
Simmer and thicken
  1. Pour in chicken broth and heavy cream, then simmer for 5 minutes until thickened. Stir in parmesan until smooth and glossy, with a sauce that lightly coats the back of a spoon.
Toss and serve
  1. Toss drained spaghetti in the Cajun cream sauce, adding reserved pasta water as needed to loosen it for cling. Top with blackened chicken slices so the surface shows charred pieces over the noodles.
Finish
  1. Garnish with fresh parsley and extra parmesan. Serve immediately, with the sauce visible as deep-red ribbons and strands in the bowl.

Notes

For best sauce cling, keep the heat at a gentle simmer when adding parmesan and add pasta water a splash at a time until the sauce coats noodles without pooling. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stove with a splash of cream or pasta water to loosen. Freezing is not recommended because the cream sauce can separate. For a lighter option, swap heavy cream with an equal amount of evaporated milk or use half-and-half, expecting a slightly thinner sauce.