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This simple Lemon Pepper Cajun Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo is a favorite with everyone. Classic, creamy fettuccini Alfredo with butter, garlic, and plenty of parmesan. Then topped with crispy lemon pepper cajun chicken. Every twirl of pasta melts in your mouth and the chicken adds a nice buttery, spiciness to every bite. It’s delicious.
Sometimes you have those recipes that you just know you’re going to love. I feel like this fettuccine will be that recipe for many of you. Creamy Alfredo pasta mixed with spicy, buttery cajun chicken, it’s a combo we all can love.
Simple, but wow, so good, and the chicken really does add so much flavor. What I said above really stands true, everyone loves this dish.
The inspiration
Growing up my dad often made fettuccini alfredo on Friday or Saturday night. It was always a special night when he made it because he didn’t make it that often. Or well, just not as often as he made say tacos. My dad has made a lot of tacos.
I loved alfredo night, it always felt so fancy to me. Looking back I didn’t realize just how simple it was, especially my dad’s Alfredo. He kept his basic with lots of butter, cream, and parmesan. He also added cream cheese, which made it extra rich.
I wanted to see if I could improve on his old skool, classic pasta. We love anything involving a little cajun seasoning around here, so adding in some cajun chicken sounded perfect.
The steps
Before starting the chicken boil off the pasta.
Next, toss the chicken in olive oil, homemade cajun seasoning (my recipe is in the notes), parmesan, and a big pinch of pepper.
Sear up the chicken in a skillet with some butter until it becomes deeply golden and crisp. Then pour over some lemon juice and let it sizzle around the chicken.
Nothing fancy, but the smells coming from your skillet sure will be delicious.
Now onto the pasta, this happens really quickly.
Use the same skillet you cooked the chicken in so you get all that yummy flavor. Add in a bit more butter and some garlic. Then pour in broth and milk (you can also use cream). I like to use broth and milk to create a still creamy pasta, but a pasta that has a nice amount of sauciness to it as well. It’s also a little lighter than using all cream or milk, so the alfredo isn’t quite as rich.
Once the sauce has thickened, stir in the parmesan and pasta. I like to use linguine, but fettuccini is obviously great too.
And that’s it! Serve the chicken over steaming bowls of creamy pasta and top with additional parmesan and fresh parsley. Yummmm!
This recipe is all about the creamy sauce and that crispy cajun chicken. The sauce is buttery, a touch garlicky, and so creamy. And the crispy chicken…it’s a game-changer. Tender and delicious when thinly sliced and tossed in with the pasta.
It’s one of those chicken pasta dinners that feels like a dish you’d order at a restaurant. But it’s made at home and is even more delicious. Trust me.
Looking for other weeknight dinner recipes? Here are some favorites:
Sheet Pan Greek Garlic Butter Chicken and Potatoes
Cajun Garlic Butter Shrimp with Creamy Pesto Pasta
Oven Fried Southern Hot Honey Popcorn Chicken
Lastly, if you make this Lemon Pepper Cajun Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Lemon Pepper Cajun Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 910 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 1 pound linguine or fettuccini
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 6 chicken cutlets or 1 pound tenders
- 2 tablespoons cajun seasoning
- 1 1/2 cups, plus 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- 1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta al dente, according to package directions. Drain.2. In bowl, toss together the olive oil, chicken, cajun seasoning, 2 tablespoons parmesan, and a big pinch of pepper. 3. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large pan set over medium-high heat, add the chicken and sear until deeply golden on both sides, 5 minutes per side. Turn the heat off and pour over the lemon juice. Transfer to a plate.4. To the same pan, add 2 tablespoons butter, the garlic, and chili flakes. Cook 1 minute, until fragrant, then pour in the broth and milk. Whisk until smooth. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer and cook 5 minutes, until slightly thickened. Stir in 1 1/2 cups parmesan, then toss in the pasta. Cook 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley. 5. Serve immediately topped with sliced chicken and parsley.
Notes
Homemade Cajun Seasoning: mix 2 1/2 tablespoons smoked paprika, 2 tablespoons garlic powder, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 1 tablespoon dried thyme, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper, 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt, and 1 tablespoon black pepper. Makes 3/4 cup.
This post was originally published on March 7, 2022
Omg! I made this and everyone in my family ate it up so fast! BEST Fettuccine ever!
Hey Josie,
Happy Friday!! Thrilled to hear this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for making it and taking the time to comment!
This recipe is a hit with my entire family (5 and 2 year old included) and I have made it many times! Your recipes have become my go-to when I need a quick dinner for my family so thank you!
Hey Sana,
Happy Monday! I appreciate you trying this recipe and your feedback, love to hear it turned out well!
Loved this recipe and so did my boyfriend! Will make again 🙂 also they didn’t have heavy cream at the store and so I used whipping cream and it came out totally fine.
Hi Grace,
Thanks so much for making this dish! I’m so glad to hear it turned out well for you! Have a great day!
This is so good! I’ve made it 3 or 4 times. I added in some chopped asparagus as well. Thank you for another great recipe!
Hey Liv,
Happy Friday! Thanks a lot for making this recipe and your comment, I am so glad it turned out nicely for you! xx
Help me troubleshoot. The very first time I made this was absolute perfection. The next 3 attempts yielded clumpy cheese instead of a creamy sauce. What could be causing that?
Hi Andrea,
Thanks so much for trying this recipe! Did you use a different brand of cheese? I know it’s a pain, but I really try to grate my cheese at home, it makes for the smoothest texture. I hope this helps! xx
Absolutely delicious !thank you for this recipe !
Hey there,
Happy Sunday! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe, love to hear it turned out nicely for you! xx
I make so many Half Baked Harvest recipes weekly and own all the cookbooks. This meal is no different than everything else – delicious as ever! So much flavor!
Hey Nicole,
Happy Friday!! I appreciate you giving this recipe a try and your comment, so glad to hear it turned out nicely for you! xxT
If I wanted to make this for roughly 13-15 adults how would you double or triple this?
Hi Cari,
I would double the recipe. You could make the chicken ahead and just keep on warm in the oven. Then make the pasta and sauce as directed when you are ready to serve. I hope this helps! xx
Soooo good!! You will not regret making it!
Hi Mary,
Thanks so much for making this recipe and your comment, I’m so glad it was enjoyed! Happy Friday! xxT
Hi! If needed would you be able to bake the chicken in the oven? For how long and at what temperature?
Hey Neha,
Sure, that would work for you! I would do 425F for 20-25 minutes. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xT
I have a love-hate relationship with this recipe in that I made it for my boyfriend two years ago and now he’s my husband and I have probably made this dish over 40 times. I’m not even a big pasta girl myself but I make this at least once per month. I can recite the recipe from memory. They’ll likely engrave it on my tombstone. My husband doesn’t refer to me by my name, just Cajun Chicken Pasta girl. Best of luck if you make this.
Hey Taylor,
Happy Wednesday! I appreciate you making this recipe so often and your comment:) Love to hear that it always turns out well for you! Xx