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This simple Lighter Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta is made in 30 minutes and uses just one pot. It’s the perfect quick-cooking pasta that’s great for both busy weeknights and laid-back weekends too. Every bite is layered with spicy flavor, bell peppers, crispy chicken, the absolute best creamy parmesan sauce (made on the lighter side), and finished with fresh basil.
If there was one pasta to make this week, this is it. Hands downs, one of my favorites. And for two reasons. First, this is so, so, so easy to make. Simply boil the pasta, sear the chicken, make the sauce, and toss!.
Simple, simple.
And second? There is so much flavor. Mostly thanks to a good spoonful of my homemade cajun seasoning blend…it’s delicious.
And really all I have to say is that I wish I would have put this one together sooner, it’s soo delicious and so easy. A great new addition to your recipe rotation!
The Process
As you might guess, this is pretty simple and straightforward. But I gave it some get-up-and-go with the addition of my cajun seasoning blend.
Start with the pasta. For this particular recipe, I like to boil and drain the pasta first.
While the pasta is boiling, start prepping. Chop the chicken, prep the bell peppers, and grab some herbs. The idea is that by the time the pasta is finished boiling, all the other prep work will be complete.
Once you drain the pasta, move on to the chicken. Toss it with a little cajun seasoning, then cook it until it’s just crisp.
Now that sauce…
First, you’ll need to cook up some onions, peppers, garlic, herbs, and a touch more cajun seasoning. Then add a splash of chicken broth, milk, and plenty of parmesan. Next comes the ingredient that keeps the sauce creamy without adding any additional cream or butter…the tiniest amount of cream cheese.
I know cream cheese isn’t typical, but I swear it creates a silky smooth sauce every time. And a little goes a long way. Trust me, it really does the trick!
Once the sauce comes together, toss in the pasta, and add the chicken back in. And that’s it! Top with additional parmesan and lots of fresh basil and thyme.
Yummm!
This recipe is all about the sauce and that spicy cajun chicken. The sauce is slightly spicy, herby, and ever so creamy. It’s my favorite combo. And the chicken? It’s a game-changer, tender and delicious, and just perfectly seasoned and spicy! SO GOOD in this creamy pasta.
This is the perfect dish for livening up an average Wednesday night. Or maybe save it for a Friday night. Either way, everyone loves this simple, creamy pasta!
Looking for other quick pasta recipes? Here are a few…
Jammy Cherry Tomato Pasta with Crisp Lemon Rosemary Chickpeas
Southern Style Creamy Parmesan Chicken Pasta
20 Minute Lemon Butter Pasta with Ricotta and Spicy Breadcrumbs
Lastly, if you make this Lighter Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta, 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!
Lighter Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 467 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 short-cut pasta
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound chicken tenders, cut into bite size pieces
- 1 tablespoon, plus 1-2 teaspoons cajun seasoning
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 2 bell peppers, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
- crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup milk
- 2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Instructions
- 1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta al dente, according to package directions. Drain.2. In the same pot set over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the onion, chicken, and 1 tablespoon cajun seasoning. Cook until browned all over, about 5 minutes. Spoon the chicken onto a plate.3. To the pot, add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the bell peppers, and garlic. Cook another 5 minutes until the peppers are soft. Stir in 1-2 teaspoons cajun seasoning. Add a pinch each of red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Cook another minute, until the spices are fragrant, then pour in the broth and milk. Add the cream cheese. Whisk until smooth. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer and cook 5 minutes, until thickened slightly.4. Stir in the parmesan. Then toss in the pasta and chicken and cook 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the basil. Serve immediately topped with additional basil. Enjoy!
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 May 19, 2021
Made this tonight for dinner and it was the perfect blend of slightly spicy and creamy with the fresh sweet of the peppers. And I had all ingredients on hand which is a plus.
We all loved it. Even my 9yo gobbled it up and went back for more. Thanks for sharing – will definitely make again!
Hey Emily,
Happy Saturday! Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! xTieghan
Made this yesterday for lunch on a rainy day off and it was delicious! The sauce was really flavourful and creamy white still being on the lighter side.
I added some spinach at the end before putting the pasta and chicken back in. Next time I’ll probably use less chicken and more veggies as we felt it had a bit too much chicken.
Thanks for another great recipe! Really appreciate these lighter ones
Hey Grace,
Happy Saturday! Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! xTieghan
hi, I would also like to know if canned coconut milk or rice milk might work. Also, what is a good substitute for cream cheese? thanks!
Great recipe. Everyone loved it!
Hey Julie,
Happy Saturday! Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! xTieghan
Hey Resa,
I think coconut milk would work just fine here and you can skip the cream cheese, maybe add more parmesan to make up for the creaminess. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
What if you don’t have cream cheese? What should I adjust for that?
Hey Britney,
I would just skip the cream cheese part or you could even do a little greek yogurt! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Could you use canned coconut milk in place of milk? Also, is there a dairy free alternative to the cream cheese?
Hey Mallory,
Yes, coconut milk would work just fine, I would use a dairy free cream cheese! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
I made the Lighter Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta last night. Very good. It took me longer than 10 min to prep & mine wasn’t golden as shown in the image. Any suggestions? Will make again.
Hey Donna,
Thanks for giving the recipe a try! Sorry this took you longer than expected. Was there anything you adjusted in the recipe? xTieghan
I just made this. So delicious and easy!
Hey Jo,
Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a go, I am delighted that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
This is my favorite type of meal! Thank you, Tieghan. I’ll try to find your homemade cajun seasoning recipe!
Hey Jess,
Thanks so much!! Here is the cajun seasoning:
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.
I hope you love the recipe!! xTieghan
What type of pasta did you use?
Looks like Radiatori pasta in the photos
Hey Leah,
Here is the link for the pasta that I used:
https://www.delallo.com/delallo-radiatori-1-lb/
Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Tried this tonight and it was delicious! We had a pack of andouille on hand and added that in as well and it worked so well.
Hey Kate,
Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a go, I am delighted that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
Lite, creamy, simple and delicious!
Hey Rachel,
Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a go, I am delighted that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
Do you think coconut milk would work instead of regular milk?
Hey Roxana,
Coconut milk will work just fine here. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
what is your home made cajun seasoning recipe
Hey Martha,
Here you go: 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.
Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Would omitting the chicken and using veggie broth still be as delicious ?? To make this vegetarian friendly!
Hey Jess,
That would be totally fine to do! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
will be making this soon can i use mushrooms / vegetable broth / almond milk / vegan cream cheese and parmesan as am a vegan can i skip bell peppers as am not a big fan of it i love pasta soooooooooooooo much perfect for my after office meals will dm you if i make this and let you know how it goes Thanks Ramya
Hey Ramya,
I’ve not tried this with all vegan ingredients but let me know how it turns out! xTieghan
I made this tonight and cut back a little on the Cajun seasoning. I’m not a big fan of spicy seasoning. Overall, I used about 3 tsp. Was good and approved by my son and grandson! Son suggested maybe shrimp and sausage next time…we’ll see ?
Hey Laura,
Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a go, I am delighted that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
Sound so innovative!! It’s so mesmerizing to read this
Hey there,
Awesome! I am thrilled this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! xTieghan