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A bowl of creamy cajun chicken pasta with a fork inside.

Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta

4.75 from 4 votes
Created by Mariam Ezzeddine
This Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta is so easy to make and only takes 30 minutes! Everyone will be reaching for a second bowl of perfectly cooked pasta mixed with juicy pieces of bite-sized chicken tossed in a creamy Cajun sauce.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Main Dishes
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings
servings

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs. chicken tenderloins cubed into 1 inch bites
  • 1 tsp. paprika
  • 1 tbsp. Cajun seasoning no sodium added blend
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tbsps. olive oil
  • 8 oz. rotini pasta or any pasta of choice

The Sauce

  • 1 cup half and half or use 50/50 heavy cream and milk
  • 1½ cup chicken broth low sodium or pasta water
  • 2 oz. cream cheese full fat
  • ½ cup parmesan cheese optional to thicken up the sauce more
  • 1 tbsp. Cajun seasoning no sodium added blend
  • ½ tsp. paprika
  • ½ tsp. black pepper
  • 3 tbsps. chipotle pepper from adobo sauce
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 small onion petite diced
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil

Instructions

  • Cook pasta according to package directions. Preserve one cup of the pasta water if you don't have chicken broth.
  • Cube the chicken and add them to a bowl. To marinate, add the salt, Cajun seasoning, minced garlic and paprika together and olive oil to the bowl and mix to coat well.
  • Bring a large skillet to medium heat and add in 1 tbsp. of olive oil. Pan sear the chicken until fully cooked and golden brown. Remove and set aside in a bowl covered with foil wrap.
  • In the same skillet, add in 1 tbsp. of olive oil and sauté the onion until tender then add in the minced garlic, cream cheese, chicken broth, chipotle pepper sauce, salt, half and half and spices.
  • Mix together well and simmer on medium low heat for about 3-4 minutes until the sauce thickens up, mixing occasionally to prevent sticking.
  • Once the sauce thickens up, add in the pasta into the pan. Coat well with the sauce and then add in the chicken and parmesan cheese to cook all together with the pasta for another 2-3 minutes on medium low heat.
  • Remove from the heat, garnish with some fresh parsley, chili peppers and serve immediately.

Notes

  • If you cannot find half and half, you can swap it for half a cup of heavy cream and half a cup of milk.
  • Be sure to use full fat cream cheese and not the spreadable cheese from a tub.
  • You can check the doneness of the chicken by using a meat thermometer. Stick the thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken, if it reads 160F then it’s ready.
  • When filling your pot to cook the pasta, use enough water that once the noodles begin to cook and expand, there will still be plenty of room for the pasta to move freely. 
  • Prevent your pasta from sticking together by stirring it immediately after you drop it into the pot.
  • Drain your pasta enough to remove most of the water, however, don’t let drained pasta sit and dry off, as the pasta will become too firm. Instead of chicken broth, you can use pasta water for the sauce too so be sure to save some if you’d like.
  • Don’t put oil in your pasta water! You’ll just end up with greasy pasta.

Nutrition

Calories: 501kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 120mg | Sodium: 770mg | Potassium: 957mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 3280IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 209mg | Iron: 3mg
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