Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
Homemade Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta is such a simple and quick recipe, perfect for weeknight dinners. Juicy chicken breast tossed in tender pasta in a creamy cajun garlic sauce.
All you need is a slice of Focaccia Bread to soak up the creamy sauce, plus a simple Caesar Salad for a memorable pasta night.
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Copycat Cajun Chicken Pasta Recipe
We love recreating our favorite recipes and this copycat recipe for Chili’s Cajun Chicken Pasta recipe is going to become a family favorite!
Creamy pasta with pieces of tender and juicy cajun flavored chicken in the most delicious homemade cajun sauce. You will love all the flavors from the dish and it comes together in under 30 minutes so it’s perfect for busy weeknights. I’m excited to add this to our long lineup of 30-minute meals.
Ingredients
- Pasta – For this recipe, we used linguine pasta but you can use any type of pasta: angel hair, linguine, fettuccine, elbow, macaroni, penne, bow tie pasta will all work great.
- Chicken – We used chicken breasts but chicken thighs will work as well.
- Cajun Seasoning– You can use your favorite store-bought cajun seasoning. You’ll also need salt and pepper.
- Garlic– Freshly minced or finely chopped garlic will give the best flavor, but you can substitute with 1 tsp dried garlic, or add it to taste.
- Butter – for sauteing garlic and adds flavor to the sauce.
- Heavy Whipping Cream – Makes the sauce rich and creamy.
- Parmesan – Grated parmesan cheese or shredded parmesan will work great.
How to Make Cajun Chicken Pasta
- Cook Pasta – boil in a pot of salted water until al dente, according to the package instructions.
- Prepare Chicken – Using a meat mallet or the bottom of a saucepan, pound the chicken breasts into an even thickness and season both sides with cajun seasoning. Saute the chicken in a skillet with oil until fully cooked then slice into strips.
- Make the Sauce – In a deep skillet, saute the garlic in butter 30-60 seconds or until fragrant. Add the diced tomatoes and saute for about 2 minutes. Add the cream, remaining cajun seasoning, and parmesan cheese and bring to a simmer.
- Combine – Add the pasta and sliced chicken to the sauce and toss to combine.
- Serve – Top with parmesan and parsley to serve.
Pro Tip: You can adjust the spiciness in the pasta by adding more or less of the Cajun seasoning.
Variations and Add-Ins
- Vegetables – you can add cooked broccoli or asparagus to the pasta when tossing everything together.
- Vegetarian pasta – leave out the chicken or substitute chicken with mushrooms.
- Substitute the chicken – try sliced sausage or kielbasa instead of chicken. You can also make it a seafood pasta like our Cajun Shrimp Pasta.
- Lighter pasta – try using half and half or light cream to cut the calories, but keep in mind the sauce will be thinner.
This restaurant copycat Cajun Chicken Pasta recipe is sure to please. If you love comforting pasta dishes, check out the list below for more dinner inspiration.
More Pasta Recipes
Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta is such a simple and quick recipe, perfect for weeknight dinners. Juicy chicken breast tossed with tender pasta in a creamy cajun garlic sauce, ready in 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 8 oz linguine pasta
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 Tbsp cajun seasoning, divided
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2/3 cup diced tomatoes
- 1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 Tbsp parsley, finely chopped, to serve
Instructions
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Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 1 Tbsp salt. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water then drain, cover, and keep warm.
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Beat the chicken breasts so that they are even in thickness and season all over with 1½ Tbsp cajun seasoning.
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In a large non-reactive skillet*, heat 2 tsp oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken and sear on both sides. Turn heat down to low and saute until cooked through and 165˚F on a thermometer. Transfer to a cutting board, slice into thin strips, and cover to keep warm.
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In the same skillet over medium heat, saute the butter and garlic for 30-60 seconds or until the garlic is fragrant. Add the diced tomatoes and saute another 2 minutes.
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Add in the heavy whipping cream, remaining cajun seasoning, and parmesan cheese, and bring to a simmer. Season to taste if needed.
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Add the sliced chicken and cooked pasta to the sauce and toss until combined and pasta and chicken are warmed through. Add warm reserved pasta water if desired to thin the sauce. Serve with freshly grated parmesan and chopped parsley.
Recipe Notes
*Avoid using cast iron or copper pans anytime you are making a creamy sauce with an acidic product like tomato or it will react and make the sauce grainy.
Valentina Ablaev
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
Wonderful and savory outcome. I’m sooo full but want seconds! Ugh. I added Chili Flakes, Mushrooms and Onions. I love the use of cajun seasoning–really comes through in the chicken and even more with a nice brown crust! Can’t wait to make this again!
Hello Jorgie, thank you for sharing your experience trying out this recipe. Good to know that you liked it!
Just made this for dinner tonight and omg!! Absolutely delicious… wow thanks for this recipe it came out amazing for my first time. I added red, yellow and orange peppers to mine. 2 thumbs up!! Keep the recipes coming.
Hello Debbie, thank you for the awesome feedback. I’m happy to know that you loved this recipe!
Made this last night. This recipe is amazing! Totally delicious and loved by all. 10 stars out of 5!! Thank you for sharing!
Awesome! Thank you for the perfect rating, we appreciate the review!
Ok, I was skeptical when my wife said I should follow you, but I’ve made several dishes of yours and I love all of them. The Creamy Cajun Chicken pasta was a huge hit. I doubled the recipe so I could share with the neighbors. And the left overs became breakfast. So happy with your ideas.
Scott
Hi Scott! Thank you so much for the wonderful review! So glad this was a hit!
I am not a very good cook. I made this recipe tonight and couldn’t believe how good it came out. I did add red and yellow peppers and some white onion. Thank you for posting recipes that I feel comfortable trying. I have always been embarrassed about my lack of cooking skills but I think things may be looking up. I can’t wait for your cookbook.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Jill! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
This is delicious! The second time I made this, I also added sliced red pepper at the same time as butter and garlic and it added even more flavor and color
Yum! That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Michelle!
Made this tonight and my VERY picky family loved it. Had to sub Old Bay for the creole season and a squirt of tomato paste for the diced tomatoes but, wow! Totally tasted like a restaurant meal. Thank you for the great recipe!
Great to hear that it worked out well, Sarah! You’re so welcome and I’m happy that you and your family enjoyed this recipe.
I can’t wait to try this. It looks delicious and I now my family would love it. Did you use fresh tomatoes or canned?
Hi Katie, I used fresh tomatoes that we diced.
Do you know if 2% milk would work? I Do not have cream handy thanks
Hi Pam, I worry with milk alone it will be “Watery” and not thicken into the creamy texture cream has.
I can’t have the Cajun seasonings, but will use the steak seasonings I have other spices I can use. I will also add spinach and mushrooms. Will let you know how it turns out.
Hi Char, sounds good. Please update us on how it goes using the steak seasoning.
SO delicious and easy. I used jarred sun-dried tomatoes instead of regular tomatoes and they were perfect and added tons of flavor!
I’m glad that worked out for you, Nicki! Thank you for sharing with us.
I made this for dinner last night & used a can of diced tomatoes with green chili’s & I seasoned the chicken with the Cajun seasoning & kept it in the fridge overnight. It was absolutely AMAZING! The whole family loved it & it is very difficult to please everyone! Thank you!
That is the best when the family love what we moms make. That’s so great!
Trying this recipe out this week, sounds delicious! Curious if you could make this in a crock pot?
Look forward to hearing from you!
Hi Jennifer, I haven’t tested this in a crock pot/ slow cooker to advise.
Came out great! I added some shiitake mushrooms and spinach just to increase some healthy vegetables in the recipe. Used a rotisserie chicken to save additional time. Reserving pasta water was key! Thanks😊
Sounds great, glad you enjoyed it with the additional ingredients!
I love adding some sun dried tomatoes to this recipe and some scallions! This is so delicious!!!
Sounds perfect, Nikki! Thanks a lot for the review and good feedback.
Very excited to make this. I realize nothing beats fresh, but wondering if you have ever made extra and put in freezer for later date and if quality dropped greatly after being put in freezer.
Hi Cindy, I haven’t tried freezing this recipe to comment on the result. I worry the pasta will turn to mush once defrosted. If you happen to test out a batch, I’d love to know how that works out!
I have made this twice, tweaking it a little by adding old bay to the cajun spice. I must say it has been consistently good!! Thanks!!!
I’m so glad you loved it, Lele! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
I made this tonight and it’s delicious! I made it a little spicier and used canned diced tomatoes. Love it! My new favorite
I’m so glad you found a favorite on my blog, Janice! Thank you so much for sharing that with me!
This looks amazing and I cannot wait to make it. Can you leave out the tomatoes?
Hi Kyle, we love it with tomatoes, but I bet it could work. Here’s what one of our readers wrote: “The only thing I changed was I didn’t add the tomatoes (this time) and added 1 cup of frozen peas instead! Will definitely be making again!”
This was amazing/delish! The only thing I changed was I didn’t add the tomatoes (this time) and added 1 cup of frozen peas instead! Will definitely be making again!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Catherine! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you for your lovely review!
I haven’t made this yet but I’m excited to try! Could I use my Dutch oven to add the final recip for mixing the noodles in with the cheese and cream? I’m going to stick with regular skillet for cooking the chicken. Should I also use Italian parsley or regular?
Thanks!
Hi Kassidy, I haven’t tried it that way. If you happen to test it, please let me know how you like that!
Delicious, we loved this recipe! Definitely will be making again!
Hi Brooke! I’m glad you loved this recipe! Thank you for the excellent review!
This is so delicious!! One of the best things we’ve ever made! I made my own Cajun seasoning (check google) and it came out amazing.
Great to hear that, Cristina! Thanks for sharing that with us.
I’m going to be making this recipe this week for my family!! Is there another spice I could use instead of Cajun for the kids?!
Sounds like a good plan, Erica. You can make your own Cajun seasoning at home, it is a simple blend of paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, crushed red pepper, thyme and oregano. Feel free to omit any seasoning that your kids will not like.
This just became one of our favorite dinner recipes! Super easy. I accidentally cut my chicken breasts before searing them but they still turned out really good! I also used spaghetti as my pasta. I used extra spicy Cajun seasoning as well and I highly recommend it.
Hi Rose, so glad you loved it and it has become your new favorite! Thank you so much for sharing that with us.
Hi, if I’m using an entire biz of pasta (16 oz), should I double everything for the sauce or no?
Hi Oscar, I recommend clicking “Jump to recipe” at the top of the post, it will take you to our printable recipe where you’ll have the option to change the number of servings. Hover over the number of servings highlighted in red and slide it to how many servings you would like to make based on the amount of pasta you have to adjust the rest of the ingredients. I hope that helps!
Another way to use Cajun spices. I recently discovered it and loved the variety of recipe. I didn’t have whip cream so opted for heavy cream (15%) and just added milk. Family loved it. Our only complaint could be we expected it to be more spicy but that’s on us to add more heat to it next time !
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Stefanie!
Delicious! Family enjoyed this dish, I will keep this one and make again. It is very easy, thank you.
You’re welcome, Debra. Great to hear that you enjoyed this recipe!
So so delicious. We loved it. The flavours were awesome went so well together. My son has requested it every day
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Kathy!
The recipe calls for linguine but the picture looks like it’s fettuccine
So what? Looks like linguine to me. Focus on the delicious recipe, not the pasta…smh
Hi Natasha,
I made this meal and it turned out delicious, but very salty for us. Any advise how I can still save it?
Thank you in advance!!
Hi Alisha, I’m so happy you enjoyed that! Ensure you are using unsalted butter. Also, if you may want to reduce the salt in the pasta water to your liking.
Hi, Natasha! Can I use rice instead of pasta ? Or what else can I use instead of pasta ?
Hi Dana, I think it would work to serve this as a chicken in sauce over rice if you preferred not to use pasta.
Hi Natasha.
We made the Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta recipe. The family on the whole loved it. They said it was a bit too spicy but OK. So next time I make it I will reduce the spice by half.
I’m so happy they loved it, Henry! That’s so great! That’s the beauty of homemade recipes – you can always adjust them!
We love this recipe! Not all of my kiddos are fans of spicy food but this has just the right amount. My husband stirred in a bit more Cajun seasoning on his own to amp up the spice. It’s quick and easy but looks and tastes like it took much longer. Thanks!
I’m so glad this was a hit with the family! Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Amy!
I just finished making this and it was so good!! The only thing I changed was I used Asiago instead of Parmesan because it’s what I had on hand. Still turned out amazing and will definitely be saving this recipe for the future!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Tara!
This looks wonderful! I am hosting this dinner, however, we are having appetizers, leaving for an event for 1-2 hours, then coming back to enjoy this dish. How do you recommend making ahead and re-warming?
Hi Marilyn, we prefer this dish fresh, But I bet you can prepare the recipe ahead in stages and then rehat it all before putting it together. That sounds like a lovely evening!
I made this last night for some guests and it was a hit. Will definitely make this again. Did not have Cajun seasoning but made it from scratch.
That’s nice to know! Thanks for sharing that with us, Alexandra.
I made the pasta with spaghetti noodles. We grilled steaks to go with it. It was amazing. I love watching your videos.
Thanks for always watching my videos, Carol. I hope you’ll love all the recipes that you will try.
Omg this was delicious!! My 15yr old inspires to be a chef someday and tonight we made this together which for me is about the only time I can get him to spend time with good ol mom. He always watches your videos with me. We were also reading about how you got started and your history. We really enjoyed reading it. Thank you for sharing. Anyways, back to the pasta. We made it as written and it was amazing. Wouldn’t change a thing. Can’t wait to make this again. Thank you for all your awesome recipes. You are a staple in this household!
Aww, I’m so happy you & your son are doing this together! Thank you so much for the fantastic review and your encouraging words. I am smiling big reading your comment
Like all recipes i adapt them to suit my taste. I sauté onion, jalapeños and mushrooms to add to the sauce. Got to have my fresh veggies so i added chopped fresh spinach when i mixed everything together. I added leftover chicken and 4 pieces of shrimp . All in all i give it a 8 stars out of 5. Thanks Natasha.
Thank you so much for sharing that with us, Wayne!
Made this tonight. I threw in some andouille sausage and some sweet bell pepper and it was delicious! Gonna be adding this to the weekly repertoire.
Sounds awesome! Thanks for trying out this recipe, good to know that you enjoyed it!
Wow! I made this tonight and it was delicious!! I used Rotel tomatoes and had some extra spinach that I added. I made my own Cajun seasoning and the amount of heat was perfect. This dish will definitely be added to my rotation.
Perfect! Thanks a lot for sharing that with us, I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe.
I made this for the first time for dinner tonight and it was so good that everyone had seconds. Thank you for the recipe! 😊❤️
Hi Tori, great to hear that the recipe was a huge hit!
Keeper recipe for sure! Easy to make and adjust with ingredients from your fridge and pantry. I didn’t have the tomatoes, parsley, and ended up using 1/2 cup of 2% milk because I only had 1 cup of heavy cream. Still delicious.
I’m so glad it still worked out, AK! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
This was a delicious and easy recipe to follow for a foundational cream-based pasta. I used thin spaghetti and roasted red peppers instead of linguini and tomatoes. Bookmarking this one!
I’m so glad you loved this one too! It’s so good!
Thank you so much for this recipe. I made it and it was a success. 🙂
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
Made this for the second time tonight! Absolutely amazing. This time I added red and green pepper, and then some mushrooms. It’s a must try.
Yum! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Oh my goodness! This was such a great recipe and it took no time to cook. This will definitely be added to the rotation.
Great to hear that you loved it, Cindy. Thanks for sharing that with us!
Hi Natasha, Just discovered your wonderful recipes. Love the Creamy Chicken and Mushroom recipe. Would like to make your Cajun Chicken Pasta but I cannot eat tomatoes. Do you have a creamy sauce recipe that I could use instead?
Delicious Wishes From Canada
Hi Yvonne, I haven’t experimented on other substitutions yet but I think you can omit it from the recipe or try using red bell peppers instead.
Thank you, Natasha for your quick reply. Will use red bell peppers. Sounds great.
Yvonne
Its amazing!!! My husband loves it always asks for it!!! We make it at least 1x a week…. So quick so easy and so much flavor!!!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Aria!
OMG! This dish was absolutely delicious. My husband said it was restaurant worthy. Very easy and quick to make. This is a new staple in our home.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your excellent review, Marianne! Don’t you love it when a good restaurant-quality dish can be made at home?!
This recipe is AMAZING!!! I made it with chicken but next I will try it with crawfish or shrimp.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Evelyn! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Came out soo delicious! I used spinach linguini in place for the pasta.
I’m so glad you loved it!
This meal was amazing! Best creamy chicken pasta I’ve ever had. I will have to follow you for more recipes!
Aaaw, thank you so much for your awesome feedback! I’m happy that you loved it!
Could this be made with rotisserie chicken for a shortcut or is it better to take the extra time?
Can’t wait to try it, I love all of your recipes!
Hi Meg, I think that will work just fine. If you try that, please share with us how it goes.
This was delicious.
For me, I would have added a bunch of veggies, but my daughter is not a fan lol.
Will keep this recipe close!
It is so versatile so feel free to try it with the veggies version next time. I’m glad you both enjoyed this recipe!
just awesome and so easy, thank you! I’m sharing with my friends, everyone needs to try this.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Tammy! Thank you for saying this with your friends!
Made this tonight and it was delicious! I like to prep ahead and then it is a quick easy meal. I reduced calories for me by adding sautéed mushrooms and reducing my pasta consumption. Mushrooms with this sauce were perfect.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
I’m a fan of many of your recipes. This one is so good and so easy to make. It’s a perfect weeknight meal! Keep sharing your recipes!
It really is the perfect weeknight recipe! I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Joanna!
I’m making this for the first time. Only found whipping cream not heavy whipping cream. Will it matter?
Hi Pamela, I think that will work just fine too. Please share with us how it goes if you give this recipe a try!
Whipping creme and heavy cream are same thing. The carton I have in my fridge right now is called heavy whipping creme
Hi Sindy, Heavy whipping cream has a higher fat count than whipping cream, and depending on the use of the cream and how rich you want your dish I would use one over the other, especially when baking. Both whipping cream and heavy whipping cream should work great here.
Hi Natasha,
What cajun seasoning do you like to use?
Thanks
Hi Adriana, You can use your favorite store-bought cajun seasoning.
This recipe was a hit with my family! Everyone absolutely loved it! Making it again for my parents for don’t tomorrow!! Can’t wait to see their reaction !!!
They’re going to love it! I’m glad to hear this was a hit with your family!
Thank you for this! It was very good…I ate more than I should have 😆! You’re recipes are all so good…haven’t come across one that I haven’t made at least twice yet. This one is a new favorite and goes in the recipe book! Well done!
Awesome! I’m glad you enjoyed this pasta recipe, Christy.
This dish is amazing!! It was quick and easy! My family loved it and my little one kept asking for more! Thank you for being such an incredible cook! You have an amazing gift! I appreciate you share and helping us learn your ways!
That is the best when kids love what we moms make. That’s so great, Melissa! Thanks for your awesome review!
This was DELICIOUS!!! … and so easy to make..my new favorite!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Amy!
Help. What did I do wrong. My sauce did not get smooth.It never would blend. The taste was very good though. Thanks for any help!
Hi Janice, one thing to consider is did you use a reactive pan? See the note at the bottom of the print-friendly recipe card that I added. I hope that helps to figure out what happened. Also, make sure to use the ingredients listed and not a lighter cream.
If I make this with chicken breasts, do I season the chicken breast the same way? Or do I put the seasoning into the sauce?
Hi Liana, we used chicken breast for this recipe! See step #2: “Beat the chicken breasts so that they are even in thickness and season all over with 1½ Tbsp cajun seasoning”.
I am making this recipe tonight. It sounds wonderful! I only have one question what do you do with the reserved pasta water. It doesn’t say in recipe unless I am missing it.
Hi Teresa, sorry I missed that note, but just added it in step 6 to say: “Add warm reserved pasta water if desired to thin the sauce.”
The whole family loved this! I didn’t have heavy whipping cream. Instead, I made a roux with flour and almond milk and it worked like a charm! Thank you for another amazing recipe!
Love it! Thank you for sharing that with us, great to hear that your mixture and experiment worked well!
This is one of our favorites meals!! We love the cajun flavor & it’s so creamy!! My picky eaters even love it!
I’m so happy to hear that even your picky eaters loved it. Thank you Kristyn!
This creamy cajun pasta was the perfect blend of heat, creaminess, and textures! So dang good!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Andrea!
This was such an incredible meal! The flavors were amazing! We loved every bite!
Thank you for sharing that lovely review with us!