Description
A quick, spicy, and rich weeknight dinner that comes together in 30 minutes using simple pantry ingredients like rotisserie chicken or fresh breasts, heavy cream, and Cajun seasoning.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound penne or rigatoni
- 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized chunks
- 2–3 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1.5 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
- 3–4 stalks green onions, sliced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prep ingredients: Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces, dice bell pepper, mince garlic, and grate Parmesan cheese.
- Cook pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of pasta water. Drain pasta and set aside.
- Sear chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pat chicken dry and season generously with Cajun seasoning. Cook in a single layer for 3-4 minutes until golden, flip, and cook for another 2-3 minutes until done. Remove chicken and set aside.
- Sauté veggies: Reduce heat to medium. Add butter to the same skillet. Once melted, add diced bell pepper and a pinch of salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Build sauce: Pour in chicken broth and simmer for 2 minutes, scraping up brown bits from the pan. Add heavy cream and stir. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Add cheese and chicken: Remove skillet from heat. Gradually stir in Parmesan cheese until melted and smooth. Stir in the cooked chicken and any juices.
- Combine: Add drained pasta to the sauce. Toss to coat. Add reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time if the sauce is too thick. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Serve: Serve immediately topped with sliced green onions, extra Parmesan, and fresh black pepper.
Notes
Save the starchy pasta water to help thicken the sauce. Do not rinse the pasta after draining. Always remove the pan from heat before adding cheese to prevent it from becoming grainy. For a lighter version, substitute half-and-half for heavy cream. For gluten-free, use gluten-free pasta. For dairy-free, use coconut cream and nutritional yeast.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 20
- Saturated Fat: 11
- Carbohydrates: 48
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 28
Keywords: creamy cajun chicken pasta, quick dinner, weeknight meals, easy pasta recipe, cajun food, 30 minute dinner