Cajun Chicken Pasta
Dive into a bowl of pure comfort with our Cajun Chicken Pasta! This one-pot wonder combines tender chicken, zesty Cajun spices, and a luscious cream sauce, making every forkful a flavorful escape. With just a sprinkle of garlic and a hint of heat, you’ll savor a dish that's both simple and sensational!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(5)
- Fresh basil, for garnish (optional)optional
- 1 bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 8 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 cup fresh spinach (240 ml)
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 2 large chicken breasts, flattened
🥛Dairy & Eggs(3)
- 5 tbsp butter (70 g)
- 1 cup heavy cream, room temp (240 ml)1 cup cold milk + 1 tbsp cornstarch, whisked smooth
- ¾ cup parmesan cheese, grated (180 ml)freshly grated > pre-bagged, always
🫙Pantry Staples(3)
- 2 tbsp neutral oil (30 ml)@algaecookingclub is my go-to
- ½ cup pasta water (120 ml)aka liquid gold
- 8 oz (225 g) rigatoni (227 g)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(2)
- 3 tbsp cajun seasoning (45 ml)homemade blend or store-bought
- Extra seasoning boost: 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp pepper, 1 tsp cayenne, 1 tsp Italian seasoning (5 ml)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Pat the chicken dry. Flatten slightly so it cooks evenly. Rub chicken with 1 tbsp olive oil and coat fully in Cajun until bronzed all over.
- 2
Bring a big pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente (box time minus 1 minute). Reserve a cup of pasta water (liquid gold), then drain & drizzle with olive oil to avoid clumping.
- 3
In a large pan over medium-high heat, add 2 tbsp neutral oil + 1 tbsp butter. Sear chicken 4 mins per side until golden. Lower heat, add 2 tbsp butter, and baste until cooked through. Remove and set aside.
- 4
In the same pan, melt 2 tbsp of butter, add diced onion and sauté until softened and golden (about 5 mins). Toss in bell peppers + extra seasonings, sauté 6-7 mins until soft. Add minced garlic, cook 2 mins.
- 5
Lower to medium-low. Stir in cream and let it gently simmer. Add spinach and parmesan, mix for a minute. Add pasta + 1/4 cup pasta water, toss well over low heat for 1–2 mins to emulsify. If sauce is too thick, splash in more pasta water. Slice chicken, lay on top, and serve with fresh basil and obviously, more parm!
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Pound the chicken breast to an even 1/2-inch thickness before seasoning so it cooks uniformly and reaches 165°F throughout without the thin ends drying out while the thick center finishes.technique1/2-inch thickness, 165°F
- ✓Cook pasta to 1 minute under package al dente timing since it will continue absorbing liquid and softening when tossed with the hot cream sauce in the final step, preventing mushy noodles.timingbox time minus 1 minute
- ✓Reserve at least 1 cup of starchy pasta water before draining because the surface starch acts as an emulsifier, binding the fat in the cream sauce with the water so it clings to noodles instead of separating into a greasy layer.ingredient1 cup reserved, 1/4 cup used
- ✓Sear the chicken in a mix of neutral oil and butter rather than butter alone, since butter's milk solids burn around 250°F while the neutral oil's higher smoke point protects it and allows a proper Maillard crust at high heat.equipment250°F smoke point
- ✓Add the cream and parmesan off direct high heat and stir constantly, since parmesan's proteins can seize and turn grainy above 180°F, breaking the sauce instead of melting into a silky emulsion.techniquebelow 180°F
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Cajun Chicken Pasta
Dive into a bowl of pure comfort with our Cajun Chicken Pasta! This one-pot wonder combines tender chicken, zesty Cajun spices, and a luscious cream sauce, making every forkful a flavorful escape. With just a sprinkle of garlic and a hint of heat, you’ll savor a dish that's both simple and sensational!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(5)
- Fresh basil, for garnish (optional)optional
- 1 bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 8 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 cup fresh spinach (240 ml)
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 2 large chicken breasts, flattened
🥛Dairy & Eggs(3)
- 5 tbsp butter (70 g)
- 1 cup heavy cream, room temp (240 ml)1 cup cold milk + 1 tbsp cornstarch, whisked smooth
- ¾ cup parmesan cheese, grated (180 ml)freshly grated > pre-bagged, always
🫙Pantry Staples(3)
- 2 tbsp neutral oil (30 ml)@algaecookingclub is my go-to
- ½ cup pasta water (120 ml)aka liquid gold
- 8 oz (225 g) rigatoni (227 g)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(2)
- 3 tbsp cajun seasoning (45 ml)homemade blend or store-bought
- Extra seasoning boost: 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp pepper, 1 tsp cayenne, 1 tsp Italian seasoning (5 ml)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Pat the chicken dry. Flatten slightly so it cooks evenly. Rub chicken with 1 tbsp olive oil and coat fully in Cajun until bronzed all over.
- 2
Bring a big pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente (box time minus 1 minute). Reserve a cup of pasta water (liquid gold), then drain & drizzle with olive oil to avoid clumping.
- 3
In a large pan over medium-high heat, add 2 tbsp neutral oil + 1 tbsp butter. Sear chicken 4 mins per side until golden. Lower heat, add 2 tbsp butter, and baste until cooked through. Remove and set aside.
- 4
In the same pan, melt 2 tbsp of butter, add diced onion and sauté until softened and golden (about 5 mins). Toss in bell peppers + extra seasonings, sauté 6-7 mins until soft. Add minced garlic, cook 2 mins.
- 5
Lower to medium-low. Stir in cream and let it gently simmer. Add spinach and parmesan, mix for a minute. Add pasta + 1/4 cup pasta water, toss well over low heat for 1–2 mins to emulsify. If sauce is too thick, splash in more pasta water. Slice chicken, lay on top, and serve with fresh basil and obviously, more parm!
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Pound the chicken breast to an even 1/2-inch thickness before seasoning so it cooks uniformly and reaches 165°F throughout without the thin ends drying out while the thick center finishes.technique1/2-inch thickness, 165°F
- ✓Cook pasta to 1 minute under package al dente timing since it will continue absorbing liquid and softening when tossed with the hot cream sauce in the final step, preventing mushy noodles.timingbox time minus 1 minute
- ✓Reserve at least 1 cup of starchy pasta water before draining because the surface starch acts as an emulsifier, binding the fat in the cream sauce with the water so it clings to noodles instead of separating into a greasy layer.ingredient1 cup reserved, 1/4 cup used
- ✓Sear the chicken in a mix of neutral oil and butter rather than butter alone, since butter's milk solids burn around 250°F while the neutral oil's higher smoke point protects it and allows a proper Maillard crust at high heat.equipment250°F smoke point
- ✓Add the cream and parmesan off direct high heat and stir constantly, since parmesan's proteins can seize and turn grainy above 180°F, breaking the sauce instead of melting into a silky emulsion.techniquebelow 180°F