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.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
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
- Stuffed Shells
- Baked Ziti
- Homemade Gnocchi
- Chicken Tetrazzini
- Chicken Orzo Bake
- Bolognese Pasta – ValentinasCorner
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
Servings: 6 servings
- 8 oz linguine pasta
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 to 2 Tbsp cajun seasoning, divided, (or added to taste depending on the brand you use*)
- 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
- 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.
- Beat the chicken breasts so that they are even in thickness and season all over with 1½ Tbsp cajun seasoning.
- 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.
- 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.
- Add in the heavy whipping cream, add remaining cajun seasoning to taste, and parmesan cheese, and bring to a simmer. Season to taste if needed.
- 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.
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.
*If you are using a cajun seasoning that has a high salt content, start with half of the seasoning and add more to taste.
Nutrition Per Serving
480kcal Calories34g Carbs18g Protein31g Fat
Nutrition Facts
Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
Amount per Serving
Calories
480
% Daily Value*
Fat
31
g
48
%
Saturated Fat
18
g
113
%
Trans Fat
0.2
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
2
g
Monounsaturated Fat
8
g
Cholesterol
109
mg
36
%
Sodium
214
mg
9
%
Potassium
413
mg
12
%
Carbohydrates
34
g
11
%
Fiber
2
g
8
%
Sugar
4
g
4
%
Protein
18
g
36
%
Vitamin A
2368
IU
47
%
Vitamin C
6
mg
7
%
Calcium
142
mg
14
%
Iron
2
mg
11
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Filed Under
Hi! I’m Natasha Kravchuk, a New York Times bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, food photographer, and writer. Here you’ll find delicious, reliable recipes made with simple ingredients, plus easy step-by-step photos and videos to help you cook confidently at home. 
Super Yummy, thank you for sharing! Thinking of adding a bit of red pepper flakes next time and maybe trying shrimp! Will def. make it again!
YOU MUST try this recipe but instead of chicken, do it with oven roasted pork tenderloin. OMG!!! Its just like chicken but the cost is half as much and with more flavor. And even better try it with smoked pig with a nice smoke ring it sends it over the edge. YUM YUM YUM!!!
I made this and turned out really good! I don’t use heavy cream but made a concoction of Greek yogurt, ricotta, and almond milk with similar consistency. Another keeper ~ thank you, Natasha.
This is a favorite at our house! I used sun dried tomatoes. Yummy!
I got rave reviews for this. Thanks for the recipe!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy it was a hit, Drew!
Oh my! Hubby’s happy and som am I and I don’t usually like Cajun!
Loved this! Was a hit!
So glad to hear that!
We love this so much in our household that I cook it at least once a fortnight. My kids don’t like chunky pieces of tomato so I use pasatta instead.
An absolute winner recipe! 😀
Great flavor and easy to make, but something went wrong. Maybe you can tell me what I did. I bought thin sliced breast from the store and coated them with the cajun seasoning. I put them in the fridge for a couple of hours before I sauted them in olive oil. I cut the chicken in slices and did a taste test. It was tender and juicy and tasted fantastic. I then proceeded to make the rest of the dish. When everything was done, the chicken had turned tough and rubbery. What did I do wrong?
Hi Bob, its hard to say without being there, but the more likely culprit is overcooking the chicken initially. I recommend using a thermometer to ensure you cook it to 165 and not higher since that may make it more tough.
Amazing!!! Pasta is never a go to for me ans honestly, rarely on the menu. We are working tio try 1 new recipe a week and this was a HUGE SUCCESS! Will be a regular meal. Already planning to make it less than a week later for a guest. Only change I made was adding fresh chopped spinach. So good! Very creamy and flavorful
That’s wonderful, Ellie! I’m so glad you gave it a try.
Big hit with my family! Everyone that had room had seconds. Will be in the regular rotation. I didn’t change a thing. Winner, winner chicken dinner! 😆
This tonight! I wish I could post a picture . First time making white sauce from scratch and it was a hit with everyone. Thank you.
You’re welcome! You may post and share some photos of your creation when you go to our Facebook page as a comment and our Facebook group!
Fantastic! My daughter made this for a family dinner and with minimal help she hit it out of the park!
I’m so happy it was a hit, Stacy! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
I made this tonight and it was great. I can my own chicken so it was cubed. I didn’t have heavy cream so I used some half and half instead. I also used some of my canned diced tomatoes instead of fresh. I also made my own cajun seasoning. We will be having this again. Thanks for the recipe.
Hello Tina! Nice to know that you were able to make this recipe work using the ingredients that you have on hand. Thank you for sharing that with us!
I added bell peppers and it was sooo good! i am so glad i made this.
My husband’s favorite 👌🏾. Done it more than 10 times 👌🏾👌🏾👌🏾👌🏾👌🏾👌🏾
Wow that great to hear!
When the chicken is so heavily seasoned it prevents browning and the seasoning gets burned. Seems like some salt or light seasoning before searing chicken would make for better browning, and the seasoning can be added afterward. Right?
Hi Justus, we didn’t have an issue with that in this recipe. I hope you love it.
Natasha’s Kitchen is my go-to when I am stumped on what to make for dinner, and I have never been disappointed. I made this recipe tonight, and it was DELICIOUS. I followed the recipe exactly as written and wouldn’t change it. I look forward to making it again and will do so as soon as possible!
What a delightful surprise. It comes together quickly and is delicious. I wouldn’t change a thing about it and will definitely make it again and again.
This recipe brought a tear to my eye in the first bite. I subbed all dairy products for non-dairy and it tasted like pure heaven in my mouth. Unreal.
Aaaw, that’s wonderful! Thanks so much for sharing that with us, I’m so happy that you loved it!