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. 
We all loved it!!! I followed the recipe exactly and added cooked broccoli as suggested – delish! It is easy, but if you’re cooking alone, I recommend having all the ingredients prepped and measured before you start. It comes together quickly at the end.
Thank you for your review and suggestion. We appreciate it!
Very good! And heats up well too for leftovers- if you don’t eat it all in one sitting that is!!! YUMMY!!!
Thank you for sharing that with us, Carrie! 🙂
Delicious!!! A friend shared this recipe with me and I just finished making it for the 3rd time. W I always double the recipe so we have plenty for leftovers, which are important to have in this house!
Left overs are so good! Thanks, Tisha! I’m so glad you love this recipe.
Made tonight for dinner. Super easy. Super quick and super delicious!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Suzette!
I made this last night over gf noodles for me and wheat ones for my husband. It was delicious, easy, and fast!
That’s great, Melinda! I’m happy it was enjoyed.
My son dislikes cheese. Can I omit the Parmesan and expect good results? 🖤
Hi Tonya! I have not had this without the parmesan. It may lack on flavor a bit but I think it would be good still. You can also adjust by adding more seasoning or garlic to help.
Thank you for sharing your delicious recipe! It was easy and fast!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you’re enjoying my recipes, Marlen!
Should canned, drained diced tomatoes be used in this recipe. Or fresh, seeded & chopped tomatoes???
Hi Lori, we used a fresh tomato.
Delicious recipe! I made this for my bf and I one week and he says it’s the best pasta recipe we’ve had.
So glad to hear that, Kat! Thank you for the review.
This dish never fails and is a family favourite. While at the cabin this week, I mistakenly bought 2% milk instead of cream but added plain yoghurt and it thickened up and was still delicious!
Good to know that worked well! Thanks for your review, we appreciate you sharing your experience making this recipe.
Fabulous. I hate Alfredo sauce from a jar. Not such thing as good jar Alfredo. So I decided to try this. With homemade pasta. This is so delicious for carb load day. 😋 so easy too. Hard to screw up.
Thank you 😊
Hi Lea, totally agree. Homemade is always so much better and I’m glad you loved it!
I’m making this recipe tonight. What wine would you pair with this? Thank you!
Hi Crysta! Probably something like a white wine since it pairs well with pasta.
It was absolutely delicious! My family loved it! Loved it so much, there was no leftovers! Definitely a keeper!
That’s great, Anna! Thank you for sharing. 🙂
Can you make this without the tomatoes – Does it take anything away from the dish if you don’t use them? I can’t eat tomatoes.
Hello Kim, we prefer it with the tomatoes and always recommend making the recipe as written first, but I get making, I hope you all still love it without the tomatoes!
I did make it without the tomatoes. This dish was absolutely delicious! It reminded me of a dish they have at TGIFridays. It was a creamy cajun pasta with shrimp and chicken. I think it had onions and peppers in it also. Alot of recipes I try out from Facebook are ok, but this is definitely a keeper.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Kim! I’m happy this was a hit!
I made this tonight, and it was spectacular. Raves from the entire family. I was looking to use up all the squash and okra from the garden, so I added that with the butter and garlic, and it was fantastic. I followed your tip to use half and half and it was still nice and thick with no other adjustments. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe, and your videos could not be more perfect.
That is so kind, thank you! So glad you enjoyed this recipe.
I made this last night for my husband, aunt and grandparents. Everyone loved it! I added fresh broccoli from the garden (steamed in the microwave for 3 minutes). I also brined the chicken for about 45 minutes before cooking and it made it extra juicy and tender. We didn’t have any leftovers! I served it with breadsticks and a Caesar salad and we had mini cheesecakes for dessert. I will definitely be making this one again!
I’m so happy to hear it was a hit with everyone, Angela! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
My husband can not eat dairy. What can I use in place of milk and cheese for this recipe?
Hi Traci! I have not tested any dairy-free alternative to advise.
Hi Tracy,
There are alot of vegan alternatives to cheese, or you could use nutritional yeast, and I would sub in either almond milk or oat milk!
Oat milk is pretty creamy and nutritional yeast is good to replace cheese.
I love this! I made a small addition with 2 cups baby spinach and used julienned Roma tomatoes. I made it keto friendly by serving it over fresh spinach as well.
Sounds good, I’m glad you liked the result and thank you for sharing!
I’m making this again tonight. I’m going to add mushrooms as one comment suggested. Served over zoodles for my daughter and myself and linguine for my husband🙄
Just made This recipe. Wow!!!!
Amazing. I just am in love this recipe will be in my rotation of recipes as long as I live. I’m so glad I took a chance. This recipe is legit I was skeptical because when I make chicken it’s always dry but there’s magic in the the Cajun seasoning I used. Juicy
That’s wonderful! So glad you found this recipe and love it! Thank you for the excellent review, Laura! 🙂
This recipe was fantastic and so easy to make. Doubled it and there were no leftovers! Your family will love it.
I’m so glad to hear that, Liana! Thank you for your fantastic review!