Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
Get ready for a flavor explosion with this irresistible one-pot creamy Cajun chicken pasta! In just 20 minutes, you'll savor tender chicken tossed in a zesty Cajun spice blend, all enveloped in a luscious garlic and Parmesan sauce that’ll have you going back for seconds. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner, this dish is a delightful blend of creamy goodness and bold flavors!
Prep
10
min
Cook
20
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(3)
- 1–2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional) (5 ml)optional
- 6–8 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large shallot, finely diced
🥩Meat & Seafood(2)
- 1 tsp chicken bouillon powder (5 ml)
- 2 large chicken breasts, flattened
🥛Dairy & Eggs(3)
- 3 tbsp butter (42 g)
- 1 cup heavy cream, room temperature (240 ml)
- 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan (please use fresh!) (180 ml)
🫙Pantry Staples(3)
- 1 tbsp olive oil (15 ml)
- 1/2 cup pasta water, as needed (aka liquid gold) (120 ml)
- 8 oz (225 g) rigatoni (227 g)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(10)
- 2 tsp black pepper (10 ml)
- 1 tsp black pepper (5 ml)
- 2 tsp garlic powder (10 ml)
- 1 tsp garlic powder (5 ml)
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning (10 ml)
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning (5 ml)
- 2 tsp onion powder (10 ml)
- 1 tbsp paprika (15 ml)
- 1 tsp paprika (5 ml)
- 2 tsp salt (10 ml)
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
666
Protein
31g
Carbs
51g
Fat
38g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Pat the chicken dry & pound to an even thickness. Coat with 1 tbsp olive oil, then season on both sides.
- 2
Boil the pasta in salted water until just shy of al dente. Save at least 1/2 cup pasta water before draining. Set pasta aside.
- 3
Heat a large pan or pot over medium heat for a few mins. Add 2 tbsp olive oil, increase to medium-high, add the chicken. Sear for 3–4 mins per side until golden, then reduce heat if needed and cook through. Set aside to rest.
- 4
Reduce heat to medium. In the same pan, melt the butter, scraping up all that fond. Add the shallot & cook for 5 mins, add the garlic, cook for 1 more min.
- 5
Reduce heat to medium-low, slowly pour in the cream. Add the seasonings & simmer for 2–3 mins. Reduce heat to low, add the parmesan & stir until smooth.
- 6
Add the pasta & 1/4 cup pasta water, toss over low heat for 1–2 mins until the sauce is silky. Add more pasta water as needed. Slice the chicken, add it on top, and finish with more parm and fresh parsley!
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Pound chicken to 3/8-inch thickness (approximately 12-14mm) before seasoning so it reaches 165°F internal temp in 3-4 minutes per side, preventing overcooking and dryness from carryover heat.technique3/8-inch (12-14mm) thickness
- ✓Reserve pasta water at 1-2% starch concentration (the liquid itself, not added starch) before draining, then add in 1/4 cup increments to emulsify the cream sauce—starch granules act as suspension agents preventing fat and cream from breaking.ingredient1-2% starch concentration in pasta water
- ✓Sear chicken at 325-350°F pan surface temperature for exactly 3-4 minutes per side to develop a Maillard-browned crust while keeping interior juices intact; resting for 4-5 minutes allows residual heat to equalize to 165°F without carryover exceeding 170°F.timing325-350°F pan temp, 3-4 min per side, 4-5 min rest
- ✓Add cream at 160-170°F (warm, not hot) while maintaining medium-low heat because rapid heat causes casein proteins to curdle; keep sauce below 180°F while simmering to prevent cream from breaking and becoming grainy.technique160-170°F cream temp, sauce below 180°F
- ✓Toss pasta over low heat (below 160°F) for exactly 1-2 minutes with pasta water so starch hydrocolloids bind the sauce components; this prevents the cream from separating and creates a cohesive coating on each piece rather than a pooled sauce.timingBelow 160°F, 1-2 minutes tossing
Share this recipe
Prep
10
min
Cook
20
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
Get ready for a flavor explosion with this irresistible one-pot creamy Cajun chicken pasta! In just 20 minutes, you'll savor tender chicken tossed in a zesty Cajun spice blend, all enveloped in a luscious garlic and Parmesan sauce that’ll have you going back for seconds. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner, this dish is a delightful blend of creamy goodness and bold flavors!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(3)
- 1–2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional) (5 ml)optional
- 6–8 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large shallot, finely diced
🥩Meat & Seafood(2)
- 1 tsp chicken bouillon powder (5 ml)
- 2 large chicken breasts, flattened
🥛Dairy & Eggs(3)
- 3 tbsp butter (42 g)
- 1 cup heavy cream, room temperature (240 ml)
- 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan (please use fresh!) (180 ml)
🫙Pantry Staples(3)
- 1 tbsp olive oil (15 ml)
- 1/2 cup pasta water, as needed (aka liquid gold) (120 ml)
- 8 oz (225 g) rigatoni (227 g)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(10)
- 2 tsp black pepper (10 ml)
- 1 tsp black pepper (5 ml)
- 2 tsp garlic powder (10 ml)
- 1 tsp garlic powder (5 ml)
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning (10 ml)
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning (5 ml)
- 2 tsp onion powder (10 ml)
- 1 tbsp paprika (15 ml)
- 1 tsp paprika (5 ml)
- 2 tsp salt (10 ml)
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
666
Protein
31g
Carbs
51g
Fat
38g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Pat the chicken dry & pound to an even thickness. Coat with 1 tbsp olive oil, then season on both sides.
- 2
Boil the pasta in salted water until just shy of al dente. Save at least 1/2 cup pasta water before draining. Set pasta aside.
- 3
Heat a large pan or pot over medium heat for a few mins. Add 2 tbsp olive oil, increase to medium-high, add the chicken. Sear for 3–4 mins per side until golden, then reduce heat if needed and cook through. Set aside to rest.
- 4
Reduce heat to medium. In the same pan, melt the butter, scraping up all that fond. Add the shallot & cook for 5 mins, add the garlic, cook for 1 more min.
- 5
Reduce heat to medium-low, slowly pour in the cream. Add the seasonings & simmer for 2–3 mins. Reduce heat to low, add the parmesan & stir until smooth.
- 6
Add the pasta & 1/4 cup pasta water, toss over low heat for 1–2 mins until the sauce is silky. Add more pasta water as needed. Slice the chicken, add it on top, and finish with more parm and fresh parsley!
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Pound chicken to 3/8-inch thickness (approximately 12-14mm) before seasoning so it reaches 165°F internal temp in 3-4 minutes per side, preventing overcooking and dryness from carryover heat.technique3/8-inch (12-14mm) thickness
- ✓Reserve pasta water at 1-2% starch concentration (the liquid itself, not added starch) before draining, then add in 1/4 cup increments to emulsify the cream sauce—starch granules act as suspension agents preventing fat and cream from breaking.ingredient1-2% starch concentration in pasta water
- ✓Sear chicken at 325-350°F pan surface temperature for exactly 3-4 minutes per side to develop a Maillard-browned crust while keeping interior juices intact; resting for 4-5 minutes allows residual heat to equalize to 165°F without carryover exceeding 170°F.timing325-350°F pan temp, 3-4 min per side, 4-5 min rest
- ✓Add cream at 160-170°F (warm, not hot) while maintaining medium-low heat because rapid heat causes casein proteins to curdle; keep sauce below 180°F while simmering to prevent cream from breaking and becoming grainy.technique160-170°F cream temp, sauce below 180°F
- ✓Toss pasta over low heat (below 160°F) for exactly 1-2 minutes with pasta water so starch hydrocolloids bind the sauce components; this prevents the cream from separating and creates a cohesive coating on each piece rather than a pooled sauce.timingBelow 160°F, 1-2 minutes tossing