This is the Creamiest Cajun Chicken Pasta, made in one pot with bell peppers, chicken and Cajun seasoning – it’s ready in just 30 minutes!
Ingredients and substitutions
- Olive oil – or another neutral cooking oil like avocado or canola oil.
- Chicken breasts – boneless skinless chicken thighs would also work, but will increase the calorie count.
- Yellow onion – white onion or shallots can be used instead.
- Garlic – freshly minced garlic is best. Jarred minced garlic will work in a pinch.
- Cajun seasoning – use a store-bought blend or make your own homemade version.
- Salt & pepper – to taste.
- Canned diced tomatoes – use fresh diced tomatoes or a can of whole peeled tomatoes instead.
- Chicken broth – vegetable broth would be the best substitute here.
- Scoobi do pasta – penne or rotini would also work. I don’t suggest a smaller pasta as it might overcook and get mushy.
- Green and red pepper – use any combination of colour bell peppers of your choice.
- Heavy cream – you can swap out the heavy cream for whole milk or 2% milk instead, but the pasta won’t be as creamy.
- Cilantro – leave this out altogether if you’re not a fan of cilantro.
How to make Cajun chicken pasta
Step 1: Sauté the chicken.
Sauté the chicken in a pot with olive oil until lightly cooked.
Step 2: Add the onion, garlic and seasoning.
Add in the onion, garlic, Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper, and sauté until tender.
Step 3: Stir in the remaining ingredients.
Mix in the diced tomatoes, pasta and chicken broth. Bring to a boil then cook until the pasta is al dente.
Step 4: Stir in the cream and peppers.
Stir in the bell peppers and heavy cream, and cook until tender. Garnish with cilantro and serve!
Variations of this Cajun chicken pasta
This one pot Cajun chicken pasta is super customizable! Try out some of these different variations to make the dish your own:
- Vegetarian: Make this pasta vegetarian by leaving out the chicken (or substituting it for tofu), and swapping out the chicken broth for vegetable broth.
- Protein: This pasta would also be delicious with shrimp, steak or even leftover turkey.
- Low-Carb: Swap out the regular noodles for zucchini noodles. You don't need to cook the zoodles in the sauce – just serve the sauce over the zucchini noodles.
- Dairy-Free: Use your favourite non-dairy milk instead of heavy cream. The pasta won't be as creamy but it'll still be delicious.
- Noodles: Instead of scoobi do noodles, use another variety of pasta like penne or rotini. Gluten-free pasta would work, but you'll need to adjust the cooking time.
Frequently Asked Questions
For this recipe, you’ll only need two tablespoons of cream – it makes the sauce nice and creamy without adding a ton of calories. If you really want to lighten up the sauce more though, you can substitute whole or 2% milk for the heavy cream. If you happen to be out of heavy cream, you can make your own. Just combine a few tablespoons of melted butter with a cup of whole milk. Heat them up in a saucepan to melt the butter. Easy, right?!
You can definitely make this Cajun chicken pasta in the Instant Pot! Just dump all the ingredients into the Instant Pot in order that they are listed, leaving out the peppers, cream and cilantro. Cook on high for 3 minutes, then do a quick release of the pressure. Stir in the bell peppers, cream and cilantro and put the lid back on. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes until the peppers have softened then serve.
This pasta is an entire meal on its own, but if you want to serve it with something, you can't go wrong with garlic bread, dinner rolls or a nice side salad.
If you're not a big fan of spice, you can cut down on the amount of Cajun seasoning you use. If you're making your own Cajun seasoning, I'd recommend leaving out the cayenne.
You can buy Cajun seasoning at the grocery store, but it's super easy to make at home and contains spices you likely already have on hand. Use my Cajun seasoning recipe for this pasta and other dishes!
Storing and reheating
This Cajun chicken pasta is so good that I doubt you’ll have any leftovers, but if you do, you can store it in the fridge for up to 5 days! Once the dish has completely cooled, transfer it to airtight glass bowls or meal prep containers.
To reheat, just sprinkle some water over top then microwave for 1 to 2 minutes until heated through or warm it up in a pot on the stovetop.
Can you freeze Cajun chicken pasta?
Yes! Like many other pasta recipes, this Cajun chicken pasta can be frozen and reheated beautifully! That being said, I'd recommend freezing it before you add in the heavy cream and bell peppers. You can freeze it in airtight glass containers for up to 3 months.
Let it defrost in the fridge overnight then reheat it in a pot on the stovetop, stirring in the heavy cream and bell peppers at the end.
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More one pot pasta recipes
Meal Prep Tools
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The Creamiest Cajun Chicken Pasta {One Pot!}
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning
- 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
- 1 (796mL) can diced tomatoes
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 lb dry scoobi do, penne or rotini pasta
- 1 each green and red pepper, sliced
- 2 tbsp heavy cream
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat olive oil in a large pot over med-high heat. Add chicken and saute for 2 min until lightly cooked. Add in onion, garlic, Cajun seasoning and salt and pepper, sauteeing for another 2-3 minutes until tender.
- Stir in diced tomatoes and pasta, then add chicken broth. Bring to a boil then let cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente and has absorbed most of the liquid.
- Remove lid and stir in bell peppers and heavy cream, cooking another 2-3 minutes until peppers are tender.
- Remove from heat, stir in cilantro, then serve and enjoy!
Comments & Reviews
Katy says
is it truly 1lb of pasta?
Taylor Stinson says
Yes. Why would it not be?
Nicole Donnelly says
The video looks like the can was of “crushed” tomatoes and not “diced” tomatoes, like the recipe shows. Can you please advise which one is used.
Taylor Stinson says
Hi Nicole – the video shows a can of finely diced tomatoes (there are different varieties at my local grocery store). It is a can of diced tomatoes, not crushed.
LS says
How many grams per serving approximately
Taylor Stinson says
I don’t provide servings by weight/cup unfortunately! You will need to take the number of servings listed and divide into portions. Each portion is a serving.
JDS says
Have you tried to adapt this recipe for the Instant Pot?
Taylor Stinson says
I make a very similar recipe in the Instant Pot actually: https://thegirlonbloor.com/instant-pot-chicken-fajita-pasta/
You could easily do this one in the Instant Pot too 🙂 Just dump all ingredients in the Instant Pot in order that they are listed, leaving out the peppers, cream and cilantro. Cook on high for 3 min, then do a quick release of the pressure. Stir in bell peppers, cream and cilantro and cover with lid, letting sit for 5-10 min. Should work out perfectly!