Cajun Chicken Pasta
Cajun Chicken Pasta is perfectly coated in a rich and creamy sauce. An easy to make homemade meal with the right amount of heat.
Servings: 4 (approximately 1 ½ cup) servings
Calories: 830kcal
Ingredients
- ½ pound penne pasta cooked & drained according to package directions
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast diced into 1-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¾ cup diced yellow onion
- ¾ cup diced red bell pepper
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon cajun seasoning blend
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 10 ounces can Rotel Original diced tomatoes with green chilies
- 3 teaspoons finely chopped fresh parsley divided into 2 teaspoons and 1 teaspoon
- 4 ounces container of grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain the pasta and set aside.½ pound penne pasta
- In a large 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the diced chicken pieces. Cook the chicken for 7-8 minutes or until cooked through and lightly browned on all sides. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside while preparing the Cajun sauce.2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
- Turn the heat of the skillet down to medium and add the unsalted butter, diced yellow onion, diced red bell pepper, and minced garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes, then add the cajun seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Cook for another minute or until the vegetables are cooked through and tender.2 tablespoons unsalted butter, ¾ cup diced yellow onion, ¾ cup diced red bell pepper, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 1 tablespoon cajun seasoning blend, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Sprinkle the all-purpose flour over the sauteed vegetables and cook just until all the flour has been absorbed into the butter.2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Slowly pour the chicken broth into the skillet while whisking constantly until all the flour has been incorporated and no lumps remain.1 cup chicken broth
- To the skillet, add the heavy cream and Rotel diced tomatoes. Stir to combine. Allow the sauce to come to a low boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Be sure to stir the sauce often to avoid lumps and prevent the sauce from burning.1 cup heavy cream, 10 ounces can Rotel Original diced tomatoes with green chilies
- Once the sauce has thickened, add the cooked chicken back to the skillet along with 2 teaspoons of the chopped fresh parsley. Stir to incorporate.3 teaspoons finely chopped fresh parsley
- Lastly, add the cooked and drained penne pasta and the grated parmesan cheese and stir to combine all the ingredients together.4 ounces container of grated parmesan cheese
- Turn off the heat to the skillet and allow the cajun chicken pasta to sit for 3-4 minutes to allow the pasta to absorb some of the sauce and the sauce to thicken slightly. Garnish with the remaining 1 teaspoon of fresh chopped parsley before serving.
Notes
Storage:
- To Store: You can store any leftovers in an airtight container, in the refrigerator, for 2-3 days.
- To Freeze: I do not recommend freezing this dish as the heavy cream can sometimes separate in the sauce when freezing and then thawing.
- To Reheat: Reheat on the stovetop until heated through.
- Any short pasta can be used successfully in this recipe. I like to keep a variety of boxed pasta in my pantry for easy-to-make meals such as this cajun chicken pasta.
- Depending on how salty the brand of cajun seasoning blend you use, you may want to use a low-sodium chicken broth or chicken stock for this dish. Chicken stock is richer in flavor than chicken broth, but they will both work well in this recipe since you are getting most of your flavor from the cajun spice and sauteed vegetables.
- Be sure to pat your chicken pieces dry before adding them to the hot skillet to get a nice, lightly browned color and sear on your chicken pieces.
- This cajun chicken pasta should be served while it is still warm.
Nutrition
Calories: 830kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 46g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 181mg | Sodium: 1168mg | Potassium: 957mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 3157IU | Vitamin C: 47mg | Calcium: 351mg | Iron: 3mg