Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta Recipe

This Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta is made with Cajun seasoned chicken, fire roasted tomatoes, heavy cream, and penne pasta. It costs just $2.20 per serving and comes together in one pan.

My family loves pasta, and this Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta has become one of our most requested weeknight dinners. The fire roasted tomatoes and Cajun seasoning give the creamy sauce a bold, smoky flavor. At just $2.20 per serving, it feeds four and comes together in one pan in under 30 minutes.

After 14 years of developing recipes, I know the best budget pasta dinners taste far more impressive than their ingredient cost. This Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta is a perfect example. You may also enjoy our Instant Pot Crack Chicken Pasta Recipe, Crockpot Creamy Chicken Pasta, and Easy CrockPot Chicken Spaghetti Recipe.

Ingredients

• Chicken breast, diced into 1-inch pieces — dicing into even 1-inch pieces ensures everything cooks at the same rate and distributes evenly throughout the pasta. Pat completely dry before adding to the hot pan for the best sear. Chicken thighs give a juicier more flavorful result as a substitute — chicken tenders also work and cook slightly faster
• Olive oil — for cooking the chicken in the skillet. Any neutral cooking oil works as a substitute
• Fire roasted diced tomatoes — the ingredient that makes this sauce genuinely special. Fire roasted tomatoes have a subtle smoky charred flavor that regular diced tomatoes do not have — that smokiness combined with the Cajun seasoning is what gives this pasta its restaurant-quality depth. Rotel works as a spicier substitute
• Cajun seasoning — the bold spicy backbone of the entire dish. Start with 1 teaspoon and add more after tasting if your family likes extra heat. Store-bought Cajun seasoning works perfectly — our [Homemade Cajun Seasoning] gives an even more complex result
• Heavy whipping cream — creates the rich silky sauce base. Always add on low heat and never boil. Half-and-half gives a lighter result. Cream cheese stirred in alongside the cream gives an even richer more indulgent sauce
• Penne pasta, cooked and drained — penne holds the creamy Cajun sauce in its ridges beautifully. Always cook to al dente — just barely undercooked — since the pasta finishes cooking in the hot sauce. Rigatoni bowtie and fettuccine all work as great substitutes
• Salt and black pepper — season the chicken directly in the pan for the most evenly seasoned result. Always taste the finished sauce before adding the pasta and adjust
• Fresh parsley, chopped — scattered over each serving for a bright herby finish that cuts through the richness of the cream sauce beautifully

How to Make Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta

Step 1 – Prepare the chicken – First, put the diced chicken in the skillet on medium high heat until cooked. Make sure you have added olive oil to cook the chicken in.

Step 2 – Season the chicken – Second, sprinkle salt and pepper. Add cajun seasoning and tomatoes and mix together.

Step 3 – Add in the Cream – Now, add the heavy whipping cream. You want to heat this on low for a few minutes as the sauce thickens. Don’t bring it to a boil.

Step 4 – Add in cooked pasta – Finally, add the al dente pasta and heat a few more minutes. You can add chicken broth if you prefer a thinner consistency.

Step 5 – Serve and Enjoy – Enjoy. Top with green onion and parmesan cheese if desired.

Tips for Success

• Never boil the cream. Keep the heat on medium-low once the cream goes in — boiling heavy cream breaks the sauce and gives you a greasy separated result instead of a silky coating
• Cook pasta to al dente. Fully cooked pasta sitting in the hot cream sauce finishes cooking and becomes mushy — always undercook by 1 minute before adding
• Do not rinse the pasta. — the starch on the pasta surface actually helps the cream sauce cling to every piece. Skip the rinse for the best result
• Taste before serving. Cajun seasoning varies significantly by brand — always taste the sauce before adding pasta and adjust the heat and saltiness to your family’s preference
• Add broth for a thinner sauce. A splash of chicken broth stirred in at the end thins the sauce to your preferred consistency without losing any of the Cajun flavor

How to Adjust the Heat Level

• Milder — use ½ teaspoon of Cajun seasoning and choose a mild brand like Tony Chachere’s Mild
• Medium — the recipe as written with 1 teaspoon gives a pleasantly warm heat that most families enjoy
• Spicier — increase to 1½–2 teaspoons and add a pinch of cayenne pepper for an extra kick
• Extra hot — use 2 teaspoons of Cajun seasoning and stir in diced jalapeños or a dash of hot sauce at the end

Variations and Substitutions

• Swap chicken breast for diced chicken thighs for a juicier more flavorful result
• Add smoked andouille sausage alongside the chicken for a more traditional Cajun flavor
• Stir in jumbo shrimp during the last 2–3 minutes of cooking for a Cajun shrimp pasta variation
• Add diced bell peppers and onion with the chicken for extra vegetables and classic Cajun holy trinity flavor
• Stir in 2 ounces of cream cheese alongside the heavy cream for an even richer more indulgent sauce
• Use Rotel instead of fire roasted tomatoes for a spicier tomato base
• Make it vegetarian by skipping the chicken and adding extra vegetables — broccoli asparagus and mushrooms all work beautifully

What to Serve with Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta?

This One Pot Creamy Cajun Pasta is a heavy meal, so we like to keep the sides simple. But we also like to make sure they are easy to prepare. These are some of our favorite sides to serve.

• Salad – We often serve a simple salad with this meal. It is quick and easy and goes great with the pasta.
• Vegetables – You could also try Roasted Green Beans or learn how to steam broccoli in the microwave. Both of these make for a super easy veggie side dish.
• Garlic Bread – We love to serve this creamy pasta with breadsticks or cheese sticks. We love to dip our bread with the sauce.

Storage and Reheating Instructions

Refrigerator

• Store in an airtight container for up to 3–4 days — the pasta absorbs the sauce as it sits so add a splash of chicken broth or cream when reheating to loosen it back up

Reheating

• Reheat in a skillet over medium-low heat stirring frequently and adding a splash of chicken broth or cream until warmed through — microwave in 30-second intervals stirring between each one also works well for individual portions

Freezer

• Not recommended — cream-based pasta sauces separate when frozen and thawed. Make fresh for the best result

Frequently Asked Questions

This Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta has become one of our most requested weeknight dinners. It has a bold, smoky Cajun cream sauce with fire roasted tomatoes and tender chicken, costs just $2.20 per serving, and is ready in under 30 minutes. One pan and dinner is done.

If you make it leave a star rating and a comment below — I love hearing how much Cajun seasoning your family used and whether anyone asked for extra sauce for dipping their garlic bread the way mine always does!

More Chicken Pasta Recipes:

• 20 Quick and Easy Chicken Pasta Recipes 
• Crock Pot Creamy Salsa Ranch Chicken Pasta
• Quick and Healthy Chicken Scampi Recipe
• Easy Crock Pot Pesto Chicken Pasta Casserole
• Crockpot Parmesan Chicekn Pasta