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Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta

Creamy Cajun chicken pasta with penne coated in a rusty-red Cajun cream sauce. Blackened chicken breast strips and charred bell peppers are simmered into a thick, silky parmesan cream for an easy one-pan pasta 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
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 1.5 lb chicken breast Slice into strips.
  • 2 tbsp Cajun seasoning Divided; 1 tbsp for chicken and 1 tbsp for sauce.
Pasta & sauce
  • 1 lb penne pasta Cook until al dente and reserve 1/2 cup pasta water.
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves Minced.
  • 1 count red bell pepper Sliced.
  • 1 count yellow bell pepper Sliced.
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1.5 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup parmesan cheese Grated.
  • salt To taste.
  • fresh parsley For garnish.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook the penne
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil and cook penne until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain the pasta.
Blacken the chicken
  1. Toss chicken strips with 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over high heat and sear the chicken for 4–5 minutes until deeply blackened and cooked, then set aside.
Build the Cajun cream sauce
  1. Melt butter in the same skillet, then sauté red and yellow bell peppers for 3–4 minutes. Add minced garlic and the remaining Cajun seasoning and cook for 1 minute.
  2. Pour in chicken broth and heavy cream, then simmer for 4–5 minutes until slightly thickened. Stir in parmesan until melted.
Combine and serve
  1. Add penne and the cooked chicken back to the skillet and toss until the pasta is coated, adding reserved pasta water as needed for looseness. Serve immediately topped with fresh parsley.

Notes

Pro tip: reserve pasta water and add it gradually so the sauce turns silky and clings to every penne piece. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days in a sealed container; reheat gently with a splash of water or broth to loosen the cream. Freezing isn’t recommended because the cream sauce can separate after thawing. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream for a thinner but still creamy Cajun sauce.