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
- 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. 
So easy and SO delicious! Rave reviews from everyone I’ve made it for and I’ve passed on this recipe to many people! Love it!
Making this today. Has anyone tried substituting drained, Rotel tomatoes?
Hi Susan! Some of my viewers have reported good results using diced rotel tomatoes.
Hi Susan! Some of my viewers have reported good results using Rotel tomatoes.
I’ve made this recipe about 5 times and each time I get rave reviews my family and friends just love it thank you so much for sharing love your recipes 😀 ❤️
I have been making this recipe for years, got this recipe from my mom, It’s always been one of my favorites even as a kid. So I made this for my husband six years Ago before we were married, For the first time, ever cooking for him. After eating it he said, I’m going to marry you. And we did.
That’s a great story, how sweet! I’m glad you’re loving the recipe.
I’ve had this recipe saved for a while and have been meaning to make it, and am now kicking myself for waiting so long! It was super easy to make, and I had almost every ingredient at the house. I did find the amount of Cajun in the recipe to be quite mild, but my house really likes spice. So dont be afraid to be heavy handed, if thats your thing. I also used canned diced tomatoes, and kind of mashed them up w a spoon so that the chunks blended into the sauce easily. This will definitely be in the regular rotation – THANK YOU!!
You’re so very welcome! I’m glad you finally had a chance to make it! Thank you for sharing.
Finally made this recipe and the entire family loved it! Nothing left but empty dishes, the sign of a great meal.
It sounds like it was a hit, that’s so wonderful, Amanda! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
This is the dish I make whenever someone has a baby and I drop this off with some Caesar Salad and everyone has loved it so far!
Aww, that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Liane! How thoughtful!
Does it have to be heavy cream? Can I substitute half&half? This looks so delicious – it’s on the menu for tomorrow.
Hi there! See my note above, “for lighter pasta, try using half and half or light cream to cut the calories, but keep in mind the sauce will be thinner.”
Can this dish be made in advance without the pasta and frozen? Thanks
Hi yes that should be fine and you’re right, it’s best to cook the pasta when you’re ready to serve it.
WONDERFUL!!! This was so simple. My picky teenager even loved it. A keeper!!!!
Wonderful recipe! My whole family enjoyed it. I used drained canned tomatoes that I diced finely and it still came out great. I’ve been making lots of the recipes from your site lately and they have all been fantastic! Thanks, Natasha!
You’re so welcome, Angie. I’m so happy you enjoyed this pasta dish!
The whole family loved it.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Rinda!
Winner, winner, Cajun chicken pasta dinner! We LOVE this recipe every time! No one is ever disappointed. Thanks!
I’m so happy you loved the recipe!
This was positively amazing! Will be making this again for sure. Restaurant quality! Easy to make as well. I didn’t need the pasta water.
Hi Allen! Thanks so much for trying the recipe. I’m happy it left you impressed!
So easy and so delicious! My family does not do cooked tomatoes in any form and this still turned out with it! Thank you for a variation on alfredo sauce!
I’m really surprised how much flavor this has with so little ingredients. The whole house agrees its a keeper and will eat it anytime its around! I did add some green bell pepper at the same time as the garlic though. Served it with some roasted broccoli that was great to scoop up the extra sauce.
Made this tonight for family dinner (my adult kids and their bf & gf come over every Sunday evening). Everyone loved it! Definitely will make it again. I used “Slap Ya Mama” cajun seasoning.
I used Slap yo mama as well! Stuff is great!
A good homemade version of a restaurant favourite. I feel like the sauce was too rich for me with that much heavy cream, and I should have used a bit of extra cajun seasoning in the sauce at the end…I forgot and only put it on the chicken.
Hi Nina! Be sure to use “heavy” whipping cream and not a lighter cream. Also, it may have needed to simmer down some more to thicken.
Love this recipe. Been making it for months. I do sun-dried tomatoes subbed in for the diced tomatoes.
I’m so happy you love it, Taylor! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.