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Creamy Cajun chicken pasta in a shallow white bowl, penne coated in orange Parmesan cream sauce

Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta

Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta is a skillet dinner with tender chicken, sweet bell peppers, Cajun seasoning, and a silky cream sauce that clings to pasta. It uses ordinary ingredients and lands on the table in about 40 minutes.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Cajun
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 12 ounces penne pasta
  • 1 1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning divided
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 small yellow onion thinly sliced
  • 1 red bell pepper thinly sliced
  • 1 yellow bell pepper thinly sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
  • 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika optional
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt plus more for pasta water
  • 1/3 cup reserved pasta water
  • 2 tablespoons parsley chopped
  • lemon wedges for serving

Method
 

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it well. It should taste seasoned, not like the sea. Cook the pasta 1 minute less than the package says, then scoop out 1/3 cup pasta water before draining.
  2. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. This matters. Wet chicken steams instead of browning, and then the sauce tastes weaker. Toss the chicken with 1 1/2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning and the black pepper.
  3. Heat the olive oil in a large 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until browned and cooked through. The safe internal temperature for chicken is 165 degrees F, according to the USDA safe temperature chart. Move the chicken to a plate.
  4. Lower the heat to medium. Add the butter, onion, and bell peppers to the same skillet. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring now and then, until the peppers soften and the onion smells sweet. If the pan looks dry, add a teaspoon of oil.
  5. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, smoked paprika if using, and the remaining 1/2 tablespoon Cajun seasoning. Cook for 1 minute. The tomato paste should darken a little and stick to the pan in spots. That’s good.
  6. Pour in the chicken broth and scrape the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon. Let it simmer for 2 minutes, until the broth reduces slightly and picks up the color from the seasoning.
  7. Turn the heat to medium-low and stir in the heavy cream. Let it bubble gently for 3 to 4 minutes. Don’t boil it hard. Cream sauce can split if you blast it with heat, and nobody wants oily pasta.
  8. Add the Parmesan a small handful at a time, stirring between each addition. Once the sauce looks smooth, taste it before adding extra salt. Cajun seasoning blends vary a lot, and some are already salty. You can read more about the roots of Cajun cuisine if you like knowing where those seasonings come from.
  9. Add the drained pasta and cooked chicken back to the skillet. Toss for 1 to 2 minutes, adding a splash of reserved pasta water if the sauce is too thick. The finished sauce should coat the pasta, not sit in a puddle.
  10. Take the pan off the heat. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with lemon wedges. That little squeeze of lemon at the end keeps the cream from feeling heavy.

Notes

Pat chicken dry so it browns instead of steaming. Use freshly grated Parmesan, taste before adding extra salt, don’t rinse the pasta, keep the cream sauce at a gentle simmer, and save pasta water to loosen the sauce. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat gently with a splash of milk, cream, or chicken broth.