Name: Cajun Chicken Pasta Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 cup red onion (finely chopped); 1 red bell pepper (seeded and finely chopped); 1 green bell pepper (seeded and finely chopped); 1/2 cup celery (finely chopped); 4 cloves garlic (crushed and minced); 1 10-ounce can Rotel (drained); 2 teaspoons cajun seasoning; 1 teaspoon each paprika, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder; 2 cups chicken broth; 1 cup heavy whipping cream; 3 cups dry penne pasta; 1 cup shredded parmesan; 1 cup cooked chicken; 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream; salt and pepper to taste

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This super creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta is the ultimate weeknight dinner! Get bold flavor and a quick cleanup in this stress-free one-pot pasta recipe.

ultra creamy Cajun chicken pasta in a large skillet

If you’ve read my recipes for long, you know I love anything with bold flavors and super simple steps. With this chicken pasta, I feel like I can say I’ve mastered the perfect one-pot pasta texture and created an amazingly rich, flavorful sauce while still getting food on the table in 30 minutes! I’ll show you where the shortcuts are worth it (precooked chicken) and where you should avoid them (sauté those veggies). You’re going to want this decadent-yet-simple dish once a week now!

Why you will love this creamy chicken pasta

One Pot – You’ll have barely any cleanup with this simple and wholesome recipe! With just one cutting board and one pot or Dutch oven, you can have the kitchen ready to shut down in no time.
Quick and Easy – This soup is ready in about 30 minutes, making it great for a busy weeknight! There are no fancy cooking techniques or difficult-to-find ingredients, so it’s very beginner-cook-friendly.
Rich & Decadent Flavor – We go full-blown “comfort food” with this meal! The sauce is ultra creamy, the seasonings add a bold, delicious flavor, and the pasta has that satisfying “stick to your ribs” feeling for a cozy, wholesome dinner.

closeup showing the creamy sauce in the easy cajun chicken pasta

Ingredients

Here is a quick overview of what you will need. Scroll to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact measurements.

Red onion, Red bell pepper, Green bell pepper, Celery, and Garlic – These veggies should be chopped small and into uniform pieces so that they cook evenly. Feel free to chop these 1-2 days ahead of time and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for easy prep.
Rotel tomatoes, Chicken broth, Olive oil, and Heavy whipping cream – Rotel is a mixture of tomatoes and green chilies. I used the original version with no salt added, but you could use fire-roasted, mild, or spicy if you prefer. Homemade chicken stock will save you money and provide great flavor, too.
Penne pasta (dry), Chicken (cooked), and Parmesan cheese (grated or shredded) – You could use gluten-free pasta, protein-fortified pasta, or your preferred style. Smaller pastas (like angel hair or ditalini) will cook faster, so I recommend sticking to penne, rigatoni, ziti, etc). The cooked chicken could be pulled from a rotisserie, leftovers, or something you prepped earlier.
Seasonings: Cajun seasoning, Paprika, Italian seasoning, Garlic powder, Salt, and Pepper

How to Make Ultra Creamy Chicken Pasta

This dinner recipe is super simple; you will just need a cutting board and a large pot, deep pan, or Dutch oven. Here are some step-by-step photos so you can make it perfectly the first time!

sauteed veggies in a large skillet with rotel tomatoes and chilies

broth, cream, and dry pasta added to a large skillet with veggies

Sauté veggies. Start by heating up olive oil over medium heat in a large, deep pan, pot, or Dutch oven. Add in your chopped onion, peppers, and celery, then sauté until nice and soft. Add in your garlic and continue cooking another 30 seconds or until it is fragrant.
Add liquid, spices, and tomatoes. Pour in your drained rotel, the broth, a cup of heavy cream, and your seasonings. Let this mixture come to a simmer.
Cook pasta. Once the liquid and veggies have come to a simmer, pour in your dry pasta, put a lid on the pan, and reduce the heat to medium low. Allow it to continue simmering for 6-8 minutes or until the pasta is al dente.
Make it creamy, cheesy, and full of protein. When the pasta is cooked, slowly stir in your parmesan cheese and the remaining heavy cream over low heat. Stir in the chicken and serve once it has warmed through. Add salt and pepper to taste.

parmesan cheese, heavy cream, and cooked chicken added to a pot with cooked pasta and vegetables

What to Serve with Cajun Chicken Pasta

Since this dish is packed full of veggies, meat, and carbs, we often enjoy this as-is, just garnished with some green onions, fresh herbs, and extra parmesan. If you want to stretch it further, I recommend starting with an easy Burrata salad (or this arugula salad if you like it peppery). For parties, I love serving a super flavorful appetizer like Jalapeno Poppers, too! This pasta is fantastic with a cheddar cornbread or these parmesan chaffles if you don’t want to add too many more carbs.

Storage and Reheating Instructions

Let your pasta cool completely, then transfer leftovers to an airtight container and store in the fridge up to 4 days. I do not recommend freezing as the high dairy content can change textures and come out gritty and separated after thawing.

To reheat, add 1-2 tablespoons of extra cream and/or broth, blast on 50% power for 1-minute increments, stirring between each blast until the sauce because beautifully creamy again and the chicken is heated throughout. To reheat the entire recipe, I recommend stirring frequently over medium low heat, occasionally adding extra cream or broth until it reaches the perfect consistency.

closeup of the juicy chicken, tender pasta, and creamy cajun sauce in cajun chicken pasta

Tips and Tricks for the Best Creamy Pasta

Prep ahead of time. If you’re in a hurry, this is a great recipe for meal prepping! Chopping the veggies ahead of time and having the cooked chicken shredded or cubed already will save you about 10 minutes.
Don’t forget the lid. You need a well-fitting lid on your pan or pot during the pasta cooking stage. Without covering, too much liquid will evaporate, leaving your pasta crunchy and dry.
Try different variations. This would be fantastic with cooked shrimp, leftover turkey, chopped up pork chop, etc. If you don’t want the Cajun flavor, you could replace that seasoning blend with ranch, French onion, or your favorite mix.
Consider roasted garlic. Replacing your freshly minced garlic with roasted garlic can add great flavor depth! Because roasted garlic gets so soft, I like to chop it up and then kind of mush it around with the sautéed vegetables to make sure it spreads around nicely.

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