Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta

Name: Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: ½ cup all-purpose flour; 1 tablespoon Cajun Seasoning; 2 large eggs; ½ cup bread crumbs; ½ cup Parmesan Cheese; 2 large chicken breasts; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 pound dry pasta*; 2 tablespoons olive oil; ½ large yellow pepper; ½ large red bell pepper; ½ large green pepper; ½ cup white or yellow onion; 8 ounces baby Portobello or button mushrooms; 3 to 5 cloves garlic; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; 2 tablespoons flour; 1 tablespoon Cajun Seasoning; ½ teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; ½ cup low or reduced sodium chicken broth; 2 cups heavy cream; ½ cup Parmesan Cheese; 2 tablespoons fresh parsley; 2 green onions

User Reviews

5.0

66 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
50 mins
Servings
8 servings
Calories
722 kcal
Course
Main Course
Cuisine
American

Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta

Jade Rice

Report

❤️🍗😋 Juicy Parmesan-crusted chicken and tender pasta with vegetables are tossed together in a creamy Cajun sauce making this recipe a family FAVORITE! My homemade version is a Chili’s Restaurant copycat but I assure you, this is a better-than-the-restaurant dish you’ll want to put on rotation even on busy weeknights!

Share:

I Made This!

49 people made this

Print

13 people printed this

Save this

39 people saved this

Ingredients

Servings

Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breasts

½ cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon Cajun Seasoning
2 large eggs lightly whisked
½ cup bread crumbs regular or seasoned Italian-style, not panko
½ cup Parmesan Cheese freshly grated
2 large chicken breasts sliced in half horizontally, about 1 to 1.5 pounds total (or use a 4-pack of thin-sliced breasts)
2 tablespoons olive oil

Pasta with Vegetables

1 pound dry pasta* I used bowtie
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ large yellow pepper seeded and diced small
½ large red bell pepper seeded and diced small
½ large green pepper seeded and diced small
½ cup white or yellow onion diced small
8 ounces baby Portobello or button mushrooms sliced; optional and ok to omit if desired**
3 to 5 cloves garlic finely minced

Creamy Cajun Sauce

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon Cajun Seasoning
½ teaspoon salt or to taste
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
½ cup low or reduced sodium chicken broth
2 cups heavy cream
½ cup Parmesan Cheese freshly grated

Garnishes

2 tablespoons fresh parsley finely minced; optional and for garnishing
2 green onions sliced thin; optional and for garnishing

Add to Shopping List

Instructions

Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breasts - Gather 3 shallow dishes and in one dish add the flour and Cajun seasoning, in the second dish add the egs, and in the third add the bread crumbs and Parmesan. Tip - If you don't have Cajun seasoning, Old Bay Seasoning is a good alternative.
Dip each chicken breast into the flour-Cajun dish on both sides, quickly dunk into the egg, and finally dip into the bread crumbs-Parmesan mixture, coating both sides. Repeat with all 4 chicken breasts.
To a large skillet, add the olive oil, chicken, and cook over medium-high heat for about 4 to 5 minutes on both sides. Tips - Do not crowd the pan and if you need to do this in batches of 2 + 2, do so. Set the cooked chicken aside on a plate. While the chicken is cooking, I suggest start boiling the past to save time overall.
Pasta - While the chicken is cooking, cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside. Some people like to rinse their pasta, others don't; do what you prefer.
Vegetables - Wipe out the skillet you used to cook the chicken in, add the olive oil, bell peppers (Tip - You can use any color and any color combination of peppers you like or have on hand), onion, mushrooms, and saute over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, or until vegetables have softened and become translucent; stir frequently.
Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, or until fragrant; stir constantly. Set vegetables aside while you make the cream sauce.
Creamy Cajun Sauce - To a large skillet (the same one is fine, just wipe it out again with paper towels), add the butter, and heat over medium heat to melt the butter; whisk constantly.
Add the flour to the melted butter, whisking very wel to stir it in, and continue whisking until the roux (the butter and flour mixture) thickens to a paste-like consistency and is amber or golden-colored. Tip - Do not skip the step of making a proper roux or your sauce won't thicken properly later on. Don't overcook it though and burn it. It only takes about 1 to 2 minutes.
Quickly whisk in the Cajun seasoning, salt, and pepper to the roux.
Slowly add the chicken broth, noting it will likely bubble up and steam, so use a bit of caution. Continue whisking until the sauce begins to thicken a bit, about 2 to 3 minutes or as needed.
Turn the heat to medium-low, slowly add the heavy cream, whisking as you are adding it. Tips - Don't let the cream bubble up like crazy. If it is, your stove is too hot, and turn the heat down. High heat and dairy products don't mix. And the lower fat percentage product, the more danger there is in ruining a sauce. Fat is insurance against poor sauce making which is why I recommend heavy cream.
Add the Parmesan cheese, and continue to whisk until it has melted and integrated fully into the sauce. Tips - Stop and taste the sauce. If it needs more salt, pepper, or you want additional Cajun flavor, make any necessary seasoning adjustments. It's okay if it tastes a little heavy on the Cajun and/or salt and pepper right now because these flavors will mellow out as you coat a pound of plain pasta so I tend to go heavier handed here, knowing things will mellow out, but use your judgment.
Assembly - Add the vegetables into the sauce and stir to combine.
Add the pasta and stir and toss well to combine and coat the pasta evenly.
Slice the chicken into strips or bite-sized pieces, add it to the pasta, and stir to combine as desired. Tip - You can leave a bit of chicken on top for a nice visual effect.
Garnishes - Both the parsley and/or green onions are optional but nice additions. The Chili's Restaurant dish tends to garnish with diced tomatoes and green onions. Serve immediately. Leftovers will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months. Reheat gently. Note that as the leftovers sit, the pasta will continue to absorb the sauce so don't be surprised if they leftovers look a bit drier, this is normal, and the flavor isn't affected.

Equipments used:

Notes

*Pasta Shapes - Most any small-shaped pasta is fine including ziti, penne, wheels, or small shells. I used bowtie.
If you want to make this pasta and chicken recipe with long-strand pasta, that should work out fine as well if you select angel hair, linguine, spaghetti, or a similar type of pasta.
Always cook to al dente or according to the package directions and don’t overcook it.
**Mushrooms - If you don't want to use mushrooms, simply omit them. You can add additional bell peppers to make up for the loss of the mushrooms, or not. Your choice.

Nutrition Information

Show Details

Serving 1serving Calories 722kcal (36%) Carbohydrates 62g (21%) Protein 25g (50%) Fat 42g (65%) Saturated Fat 21g (105%) Polyunsaturated Fat 4g Monounsaturated Fat 15g Trans Fat 0.1g Cholesterol 309mg (103%) Sodium 511mg (21%) Potassium 508mg (15%) Fiber 4g (16%) Sugar 5g (10%) Vitamin A 2391IU (48%) Vitamin C 25mg (28%) Calcium 264mg (26%) Iron 4mg (22%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 722 kcal

% Daily Value*

Serving	1serving
Calories	722kcal	36%
Carbohydrates	62g	21%
Protein	25g	50%
Fat	42g	65%
Saturated Fat	21g	105%
Polyunsaturated Fat	4g	24%
Monounsaturated Fat	15g	75%
Trans Fat	0.1g	5%
Cholesterol	309mg	103%
Sodium	511mg	21%
Potassium	508mg	11%
Fiber	4g	16%
Sugar	5g	10%
Vitamin A	2391IU	48%
Vitamin C	25mg	28%
Calcium	264mg	26%
Iron	4mg	22%