This creamy Cajun chicken pasta is easy to make and with sparkling vivid tomatoes with flawlessly cooked al dente pasta! I always make this pasta when I’m tired of eating everything else.
My husband always helps me whenever I’m making this Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta, he loves it so much that he can’t resist sometimes. 😀
Ramsha Baig
This creamy cajun hen pasta combines juicy, perfectly grilled, smoky chicken breasts with a mild cream sauce topped with sparkling, acidic tomatoes and sliced green onions for a lovable pop of shade and flavor. Serve this dish with some heat bread and a facet salad, and you’ll be in pasta paradise!
This recipe is tailored from The at ease Kitchen cookbook by means of The defined Dish. The recipe changed into stimulated through Chili’s Cajun chicken Pasta, and also you’ll see that it’s tons lighter than the eating place model because i exploit milk and chicken broth rather than butter and cream.
You can also try my recipes of Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta, Broccoli Pasta or Baked Mac and Cheese.
Why You’ll Love This Easy Cajun Chicken Pasta
Balance of spices. The cajun seasoning is spot on on this recipe and no longer too highly spiced, not too bland. You’ll discover just the right balance of taste in every chew!
The suitable pasta texture. I used rotini noodles for this dish because they maintain up well to the sauce with out getting smooth. nobody likes a soggy noodle, proper?
It’s an smooth one-pot meal. This recipe comes collectively quickly and without difficulty, and you simplest need one pot to make it! much less mess = glad dance.
Makes incredible leftovers. If you want leftovers as a good deal as I do, then you definately’ll be glad to realize that this pasta dish reheats superbly and makes a splendid workday lunch.
Ingredients to Make Cajun Chicken Pasta
- Chicken breasts: try to find chicken breasts that are even in length, in order that they cook frivolously. i really like to pound them out a piece with a meat mallet before cooking so they’re an even thickness.
- Pasta: Penne pasta is best for this dish because it has ridges that assist the sauce dangle to it. however experience free to use anything pasta you’ve got on hand.
- Cajun seasoning: you could find this pre-made within the spice aisle of your grocery shop, or you could make your own with this recipe.
- Cream sauce: Milk, onion, garlic, salt, and bird broth make a light and flavorful cream sauce for this pasta.
- Tomatoes: I used Roma tomatoes, however you can use any type of tomato that you like.
- Inexperienced onions: Sliced green onions are an appropriate garnish for this pasta dish because they add a cute pop of coloration and flavor.
How to Make Cajun Chicken Pasta
- Heat oil in a large deep skillet add the cajun spiced chicken breasts to the heated skillet.
- Cook until golden brown on both sides and cooked through.
- Add onion and garlic to the same skillet and cook, stirring, until softened.
- Add the uncooked pasta, milk, and broth. Season with the remaining cajun seasoning and salt.
- Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring often, until pasta is al dente and liquid is absorbed and creamy.
- When the sauce has thickened, remove it from heat.
Tips for Making Blackened Chicken Pasta
Cook dinner your pasta until simply al dente. this may allow the pasta to absorb a number of the sauce and no longer get comfortable when reheating.
Don’t overcook your chicken. Blackened chicken have to be cooked until it’s just accomplished inside the center. chicken is performed while it reaches an inner temp of one hundred sixty five°F. do not forget it will continue to cook dinner a few stages when you do away with it from the heat, so take it off the heat when it reaches 160°F.
Use entire milk for a creamier sauce. I find that using complete milk gives the sauce a lovable, rich taste with out being too heavy. you could use 2%, but 1% and below will make a thinner sauce.
Pound your chicken if it’s thick. i like to use hen breasts that are of an even thickness, so they prepare dinner lightly. if your chicken is thick in a few spots and thin in others, then pound it out with a meat mallet till it’s even throughout. this could assist it cook dinner extra evenly.
Popular Substitutions & Additions
- Switch out the protein. Salmon, shrimp, and scallops would all be delicious in this pasta dish. Just cook them the same way you would the chicken.
- Add some veggies. Sautéed mushrooms, zucchini, or yellow squash would all be wonderful additions to this pasta dish.
- Make it gluten-free. Use gluten-free pasta and chicken broth to make this dish gluten-free.
- Make it spicier. Up the cayenne pepper in the cajun seasoning, or add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the pasta sauce.
How to Store & Reheat Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
This pasta dish may be saved in an hermetic field within the refrigerator.
To reheat, certainly place the pasta in a skillet over medium heat and cook dinner till heated thru. you may need to feature a touch of milk or fowl broth to skinny out the sauce. you may additionally use the microwave to reheat this pasta dish. place the pasta in a microwave-safe dish and heat on excessive for 30 seconds to at least one minute, or till heated thru. again, you could want to add a dash of milk or chook broth to skinny out the sauce.
How Long Will Creamy Chicken Pasta Last in the Fridge?
This pasta dish will remaining inside the fridge for as much as 4 days. After that, the sauce will start to break down, and the pasta turns into smooth. So, in case you need to enjoy this pasta dish at its pleasant, then I advise eating it within four days of making it.
Can I Freeze Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta?
Yes, you can! something to be aware of, though, is that the sauce will thicken up quite a piece, and the milk may additionally separate or wreck whilst frozen. This isn’t necessarily a terrible issue, however just something to be aware about.
To freeze, virtually place the pasta in an hermetic field and save it in the freezer for up to 3 months. when you’re equipped to consume it, thaw it overnight within the fridge, then reheat it in a skillet over medium heat or inside the microwave.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can i use cream and butter to make a thicker sauce?
Sure, in case you choose a thicker sauce, then you may use cream and butter in place of milk. just remember the fact that the sauce might be very wealthy this manner and might not reheat as properly.
Can i use a unique sort of pasta?
Yes, you may use any form of pasta you like for this dish. simply understand that the cooking time can be unique depending on the kind of pasta you use.
What ought to I serve with creamy cajun chicken pasta?
This pasta dish is delicious on its very own, but it would additionally be first-rate with a aspect of garlic bread or a easy inexperienced salad.
