Cajun Chicken Pasta is flavored with Cajun spices and just the right amount of heat. This family favorite pasta dish is ready in just 30 minutes!
I love trying different pasta dishes. This Cajun Chicken Pasta is probably one of my favorites. The Cajun spice adds just the right amount of heat without drowning out the rest of the flavors. And, the colors of the peppers create an alluring appearance. You can use whatever colors of bell peppers you like. However, to save money (because yellow, red and orange peppers are more expensive than green) you can use only green peppers without sacrificing much of the flavor.
When making any chicken dish, I used to struggle with how to discard the empty chicken packaging. My old method was to rinse it, tie it up in a plastic bag then throw it away, hoping it wouldn't stink the next day. Nope, it never worked! I finally learned to still tie it in a recycled plastic grocery sack, but then freeze it until garbage day. This way, the smell doesn't take over the house or the garage. It doesn't stink at all, even in the freezer! Since this recipe calls for quickly marinating the chicken in a resealable bag, when finished I just throw my chicken packaging in this bag in order to be resourceful. Just a little tip.
Claiming only about 30 minutes of your time, this is a quick meal that can easily be prepared on a week night. The original recipe calls for linguine, however, I like using rotini because it captures more of the sauce in each bite. I made a few additional changes (reflected below) such as using olive oil instead of butter, minced garlic instead of garlic powder, and fresh basil leaves instead of dried basil. I also added a few tablespoons of cornstarch to thicken the sauce. You can serve this dish with whole chicken breasts, but I like to combine mine into the pasta in cubed portions.
Recipe Card
Cajun Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 ounces rotini pasta
- 3 skinless boneless chicken breast halves, cubed
- 2 - 3 teaspoons Cajun seasoning or to taste
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 red bell pepper sliced
- 1 green bell pepper sliced
- 8 oz package sliced mushrooms
- 1 green onion chopped
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¼ teaspoon fresh basil
- ¼ teaspoon lemon pepper
- salt to taste
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 - 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
- ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and pasta, then cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until al dente; drain.
- Place the chicken and the Cajun seasoning in a plastic bag. Shake to coat. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet, saute the chicken until almost tender (5 to 7 minutes).
- Add the bell peppers, mushrooms and green onion. Saute and stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat.
- Add the cream, basil, lemon pepper, salt, garlic powder and ground black pepper. Heat through. Add cornstarch until sauce reaches desired thickness. Add the cooked pasta, toss and heat through. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.
