Description
This cajun chicken pasta combines creamy cajun chicken pasta with bold flavors in a one pot cajun chicken pasta. It’s a spicy and creamy dish that’s popular on Pinterest in the USA with seasoned chicken and peppers in a rich sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound dried penne pasta
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon to 3 tablespoons Cajun seasoning with salt divided
- 1 medium yellow onion finely chopped
- 2 medium green or red bell peppers or a combination thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 6 ounces cream cheese cut into cubes
- 3 ounces finely grated Parmesan cheese about 3/4 cup store-bought grated plus more for serving
- 2 teaspoons sherry red or white wine vinegar
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Finely chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish optional
Instructions
- Bring salted water to a boil in a large pot and cook penne pasta for 1 minute less than al dente. Drain the pasta after reserving 2 cups of cooking water.
- Toss chicken pieces with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning. Heat oil in a medium Dutch oven over medium-high heat, then brown chicken in a single layer for about 3 minutes per side until cooked. Remove chicken and set aside.
- Add remaining olive oil to the pot and sauté onion, bell peppers, garlic, and the rest of the Cajun seasoning until onions are translucent and peppers are tender, about 5 minutes.
- Lower heat to medium-low and stir in fire-roasted tomatoes, cream cheese cubes, and grated Parmesan until the cream cheese melts fully, about 1 minute.
- Return chicken and its juices to the pot, add 1 cup reserved pasta water and 2 teaspoons vinegar, stirring everything evenly.
- Add pasta and toss to coat with sauce for about 1 minute, adding extra pasta water by tablespoons if sauce is too thick. Season with salt and pepper to taste and garnish with Parmesan and parsley if desired.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 650mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 38g
- Cholesterol: 120mg