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Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta

Name: Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Cajun
Ingredients: 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts; 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning; 12 oz fettuccine pasta; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 red bell pepper, sliced; 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1 cup heavy cream; 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

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February 5, 2026

Hey. Fancy seeing you here looking for something hearty (and, if I’m honest, a little bit cheeky) for dinner. This Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta takes me straight back to one semi-disastrous date night at home, where I tipped half a jar of Cajun seasoning into the pot because I couldn’t find my glasses. We ate it anyway—fire alarms might have gone off, who knows—but since then, I’ve tamed the spice and this pasta’s turned into a bit of a family staple (with fewer emergencies, thank goodness).

Why You’ll Love This Dish—Or At Least Why I Do

I make this when I can’t decide between cozy comfort food and pretending I’m at some bustling New Orleans kitchen. My family goes nuts for it, but mostly because of the sauce; my youngest once licked the bowl CLEAN (I know, gross, but also flattering?). It’s a great dish for when you don’t want to bother with a million side dishes. And, confession: I once messed up and used leftover rotisserie Chicken instead of cooking the Chicken fresh—no one even noticed.

Let’s Talk Ingredients (Swaps & Secrets)

2 chicken breasts (or, uh, thighs if you’re feeling rebellious)
2 tbsp Cajun seasoning (sometimes I mix my own, sometimes I just grab that red tin with the alligator on it; it all works)
Salt and pepper, roughly a good pinch each (my friend swears by smoked salt, but I’m not that hip)
2 tbsp olive oil (seen people use butter, which is richer but maybe a bit much?)
1 red bell pepper, sliced up like you mean it (green works too, my gran always said color is flavor, though I’m not sure that’s scientific)
1 small red onion, chopped (I sometimes use shallots when feeling posh)
3 cloves garlic, minced (or more, but don’t let me near a vampire after)
250g/half a box of penne or your favorite pasta (I use fusilli when I can’t be bothered to check the cupboard properly)
200ml double cream (half-and-half is okay if you want to save calories—I rarely do)
50g grated parmesan (I once used pre-shredded, it was fine, don’t @ me)
A handful of fresh parsley, chopped (optional, or skip it if your parsley’s gone purple in the fridge)

How I Throw It All Together (Give or Take)

Get your pasta on. Bring a big ol’ pot of salted water to boil. Toss in the pasta, cook it till just shy of done (usually about a minute less than the packet says). Don’t rinse it—you want that starch to help thicken the sauce.
Meanwhile, the chicken! Chop your chicken into bite-sized bits, sprinkle generously with Cajun seasoning, and a little salt n pepper. Get your largest frying pan hot, add the oil, and toss in the chicken. Sear it so you get those addictively crispy bits (this is where I sneak a taste—don’t get caught!). Remove chicken and keep it aside for a sec.
The veggies join the party. In the same pan (no need to clean, those bits are flavor!), throw in the onion and bell pepper. If they stick, add an extra splash of oil—or water in a pinch. Soften them on medium heat, then add the garlic and cook till everything smells mega inviting.
Make it creamy! Return the chicken to the pan, add the cream, and let it bubble *gently* (if you boil it hard it might split, learned that the hard way…). Toss in your pasta (and a splash of its cooking water, especially if things look thick—trust me, it helps).
Finishing touches. Stir in parmesan so it melts into gloriously sticky sauce. Taste! I usually add more Cajun at this stage because my tastebuds are daredevils, but you do you. Top with parsley (or don’t, no pressure).

Notes Straight from My Kitchen

If the sauce seems too thin, simmer a touch longer. Honestly, though, it thickens as it cools. I tend to add way more parmesan than reasonable.
If you’ve accidentally made it too spicy (done that more than once), a little plain yogurt on top saves the day.
On second thought, extra garlic is fine as long as everyone’s eating it. No solo dates after, though.

How I’ve Messed With This (and Sometimes Regretted It)

Shrimp version: Works a treat, but cut back on cooking time or they go rubbery. Ask me how I know!
Mushrooms: Actually, these bulk up the veg content and soak up sauce, which is lovely.
Vegan try: Once swapped cream and chicken for oat cream and jackfruit. Tastes fine, but honestly, I missed the chicken. Maybe that’s just me.
Extreme cheese swap: Tossed in blue cheese once… let’s never talk about that again. Too much chaos.

On Equipment (Or Lack Thereof)

I rely on my battered big frying pan; if you don’t have one, even a wok or a wide saucepan does the trick. Once I tried making this in a too-small pan and it snowballed into pasta off my worktop (but that’s a story for another time).

A Word (or Three) on Storage—If You Even Have Leftovers

This keeps best in the fridge, snug in a lidded container, for a day or two. It reheats well (maybe even gets better?), but honestly, it hardly makes it past dinner in our place. Reheating tip: Add a splash of cream or milk, stir often so it doesn’t glue itself to the bowl.

What Do We Serve This With?

Sometimes I just plonk the pan in the middle of the table with a big spoon and let folks at it. Garlic bread on the side if I’m feeling fancy, or a green salad for appearances’ sake. My sister claims you can eat it with just a fork, but a spoon gets all the sauce—personal choice!

Pro Tips I Didn’t Know Until I Screwed Up

Letting the chicken rest on a plate before tossing it back into the sauce keeps it juicy. Once, I rushed it all together, and ended up with sad, stringy chicken—bleh.
Take the pan off the heat before stirring in the parmesan, otherwise you might form little cheesy clumps, which (while tasty) kinda look odd.
And don’t scrimp on seasoning—once I did, and everyone reached for the salt. Oops.

FAQ: The Questions My Friends Actually Ask Me

“Can I make it less spicy for kids?” For sure! Just use half the Cajun or skip altogether and let grown-ups add hot sauce. Worked for my picky niece (she still left the peppers, but you can’t win everything).
“Does it freeze well?” Erm, not my favorite thing to freeze. The sauce can get weird—maybe it’s just my freezer, but the texture changes a lot. Stick to fridge for this one.
“Can I add more veggies?” Go mad! Spinach, peas, even roasted broccoli. Actually, I think this is why my fridge is always half-empty…
“What if I overcook the pasta?” Eh, not the end of the world. Just add pasta last so it doesn’t sit in sauce forever. Or, say it’s ‘rustic’ if anyone asks.

(Oh, and side note: The dog once nabbed a stray noodle—he didn’t hate it. Not a formal endorsement, but still, he’s picky.)