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Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta

Creamy Cajun chicken pasta with penne coated in a rusty-red Cajun cream sauce. Blackened chicken strips and charred bell peppers fold into every bite with a silky, parmesan-thickened finish.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Cajun-American
Calories: 820
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken breast
  • 1.5 lb chicken breast sliced into strips
Cajun seasoning
  • 2 tbsp Cajun seasoning divided
Penne pasta
  • 1 lb penne pasta
Butter
  • 2 tbsp butter
Olive oil
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
Garlic
  • 3 clove garlic cloves minced
Bell peppers
  • 1 red bell pepper sliced
  • 1 yellow bell pepper sliced
Chicken broth
  • 1 cup chicken broth
Heavy cream
  • 1.5 cup heavy cream
Parmesan cheese
  • 0.5 cup parmesan cheese grated
Salt
  • 1 salt to taste
Fresh parsley
  • 1 fresh parsley for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook the penne
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil, then cook the penne until al dente, about the package time. Before draining, reserve 1/2 cup pasta water for the sauce.
Blacken the chicken
  1. Toss the chicken strips with 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning to coat evenly. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat, then sear the chicken for 4–5 minutes until deeply blackened and cooked, and set aside.
Build the Cajun cream sauce
  1. Melt the butter in the same skillet, then sauté the bell peppers for 3–4 minutes until they start to char. Add the garlic and the remaining Cajun seasoning, and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  2. Pour in the chicken broth and heavy cream, then simmer for 4–5 minutes until slightly thickened. Stir in the parmesan until melted and smooth.
Combine and serve
  1. Add the drained penne and the reserved chicken to the skillet, then toss until the pasta is coated in the rusty-red Cajun cream sauce. Add pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce and help it cling.
  2. Serve immediately, topped with fresh parsley for a bright green finish.

Notes

For the best cling, keep the sauce just slightly loose while tossing—add pasta water a splash at a time until it coats the penne. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; freeze is not recommended because cream sauces can separate. For a lighter option, swap half the heavy cream for evaporated milk and use reduced-fat parmesan.