It’s been a while since I’ve made a one-pot pasta! But this weekend I got a craving for a creamy, smoky, spicy, easy one pot dish, so I set to work! This One Pot Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta is incredibly easy to make, so it’s perfect for weeknight dinners. I have a few variations for you below (spicy, non-spicy, creamy, non-creamy) so be sure to read on! :)
Check out my One Pot Recipe archives for more one pot goodness!
“Amazing!!! Just made it…..home run!! Easy, simple, yummy!! I did add spinach at the end which was a great addition. Thanks!!”
charles
Customizing the Pasta
There are several ways you can customize this super simple and delicious one pot pasta. Check out these ideas for substitutions, add-ins, or omissions:
Adjust the Heat
This pasta is spicy. BUT you can adjust the heat by adjusting the amount of cayenne pepper in the Cajun seasoning. You can cut it in half for just a little heat, or if you are completely spicy intolerant, leave the cayenne out all together. That makes me kind of sad, but I completely understand. Sometimes your body and brain don’t want the same thing. :)
Make it Creamy (or not)
If you can’t do cream cheese, feel free to replace it with a splash of heavy cream or half-and-half. I’d probably use about 1/4 cup heavy cream, or 1/2 cup of half-and-half. OR, if you don’t want it creamy at all, that works too. This pasta was quite delicious even before I added the cream cheese, but the creaminess does balance the heat and acidity very well.
Make it “Extra”
If you want this pasta to be super over the top, try adding some cooked bacon, or a final dusting of Parmesan cheese. That little bit of extra umami flavor will really take this Cajun Chicken Pasta over the top! Or, in place of or in addition to, you could add shrimp.
One Pot Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
Servings 4Ingredients
Cajun Seasoning
- 2 tsp smoked paprika ($0.20)
- 1 tsp oregano ($0.10)
- 1 tsp thyme ($0.10)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder ($0.05)
- 1/2 tsp onion powder ($0.05)
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper ($0.03)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper ($0.02)
- 1/4 tsp salt ($0.02)
Chicken Pasta
- 1 Tbsp olive oil ($0.16)
- 1 Tbsp butter ($0.13)
- 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast ($5.47)
- 1 yellow onion, diced ($0.32)
- 1/2 lb. penne pasta (uncooked) ($0.75)
- 15 oz. fire roasted diced tomatoes ($1.00)
- 2 cups chicken broth ($0.26)
- 2 oz. cream cheese ($0.50)
- 3 green onions, sliced ($0.25)
Instructions
- Combine the ingredients for the Cajun seasoning in a small bowl. Cut the chicken into 1/2 to 3/4-inch cubes. Place the cubed chicken in a bowl, pour the Cajun seasoning over top, and stir to coat the chicken in spices.
- Add the olive oil and butter to a large deep skillet. Heat the oil and butter over medium-high until the skillet is very hot and the butter is melted and foamy. Add the seasoned chicken to the skillet and cook for a couple minutes on each side, or just until the outside gets some color. The chicken does not need to be cooked through at this point.
- Add the diced yellow onion to the skillet and continue to sauté for about 2 minutes more, or just until the onion begins to soften. Allow the moisture from the onion to dissolve any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
- Next, add the pasta, fire roasted diced tomatoes (with the juices), and chicken broth to the skillet. Stir just until everything is evenly combined, then place a lid on top and allow the broth to come up to a boil.
- Once boiling, turn the heat down to medium-low and let the pasta simmer for about ten minutes, stirring every couple of minutes, until the pasta is tender and the liquid is thick and saucy.
- Add the cream cheese to the skillet in chunks, then stir until it has melted into the sauce. Top the pasta with sliced green onions and serve.
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Notes
- The deep skillet I use is a 4-quart capacity.
- Depending on your cookware, you may need to adjust the heat up or down to maintain a simmer in the broth. Be sure to stir often to prevent the pasta from sticking.
Nutrition
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Other Chicken Pasta Recipes You Might Like:
- One Pot Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta
- White Cheddar Mac and Cheese with Chicken and Broccoli
- Chicken Broccoli Pasta with Lemon Cream Sauce
- Greek Chicken Pasta Salad
- Monterey Chicken Skillet
How to Make Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta – Step by Step Photos
Stir together the ingredients for the Cajun seasoning in a small bowl (2 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp thyme, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/4 tsp cayenne, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1/4 tsp salt). Cut one pound boneless, skinless chicken breast into 1/2 to 3/4-inch cubes. Place the chicken cubes in a bowl, pour the Cajun seasoning over top, then stir to coat the chicken in the spices.
Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil and 1 Tbsp butter in a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Once the skillet is very hot and the butter is melted and foamy, add the seasoned chicken pieces. Cook for a couple of minutes on each side, or just until they get some color. The chicken does not need to be cooked through at this point.
Add one diced yellow onion and continue to sauté for just a couple minutes more, or until the onion just begins to soften. The moisture from the onion should help dissolve any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
Add 1/2 lb. penne to the skillet along with one 15oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes (with the juices) and 2 cups chicken broth.
Give everything a brief stir to make sure it’s all combined, then place a lid on top and allow the broth to come up to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, turn it down to medium-low, and let it simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes.
Simmer until the pasta is tender and the broth has become thicker and more saucy in texture.
Add 2 oz. cream cheese to the skillet in small chunks. Stir until the cheese has melted into the sauce.
Top with sliced green onions and SERVE! This One Pot Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta is going to be on regular rotation in my house. :)
I think this bowl of pasta is begging for some Freezer Garlic Bread, what about you?
Cooked this for the family tonight and it went down a treat. Absolutely delicious, and really tasty. I’m a novice in the kitchen, and found this recipe easy to follow.
Well chuffed to be able to make something that had my missus and mother looking for seconds, and that my 2 year old had some as well.
Cant wait to try more of your recipes, great site. Thank you..
I made this recipe tonight and it was a big hit! is there a way to make it cheesy? what cheese would you recommend?
Parmesan or a cheddar would be delicious additions.
I’m looking forward to trying this, but the stores were out of penna pasta could I use thin spaghetti?
Can I use spaghetti?
Can I swap out salsa for the tomatoes thats what I had on hand
We haven’t tested it with salsa yet, however a previous reader noted, “Used 2/3 of 16 oz salsa jar instead – also, used whole wheat pasta and extra cup of water – turned out amazing. That cream cheese shines through beautifully.”
My boyfriend doesn’t like tomatoes can I leave them out?
Unfortunately, I really feel like the tomatoes are an important part of this one.
I would like to try this recipe without the chicken and onions, but would still like to add all the seasoning for flavour. Would you suggest frying the peppers in the seasoning and just leave out the chicken and onions? The recipe looks delicious, I can’t wait to try it!
Thank you for this recipe! Could I use tomato purée instead of the diced tomatoes? Also is there a substitute for the cream cheese?
Hi Yara! Tomato puree is quite thick and not the same as the diced tomatoes. I wouldn’t suggest swapping. And you can always swap a vegan cream cheese if dairy is a problem.
So yummy!! Added chicken sausage and a little more cream cheese (to make it exxxtra creamy) and it was delicious! Will continue to make this. Thank you!
Absolutely Delish! Don’t worry if it looks like there is too much liquid when you go to add the cream cheese, try turning off the burner and letting is sit for another few minutes and all the liquid will absorb! Thanks for the great recipe!
Made this tonight and it was really good! I accidentally cooked the pasta separately before reading through the whole recipe. Nonetheless, it came out great. Just the perfect amount of spice and flavor. Def will make again!
I made this today for my birthday quarantine meal it was so good and was the bright spot in an otherwise bad day…thank you 😊
Happy birthday Becky!
This is one of our favorite recipes! It tastes perfect every time without needing to make any changes to the recipe. It’s quick, easy, and delicious! Thank you :)
It is a fantastic recipe also tasty
Can’t wait to make this! If I have cajun seasoning already, how much would I use to substitute? Thanks :)
About 2 Tbsp, just keep in mind that some store bought Cajun seasonings contain a lot more salt than my blend, so there is a danger of making it too salty.
Hi! This looks fantastic. Can I use regular canned diced tomatoes if fire roasted tomatoes aren’t available (Covid 19 grocery store shortage issues!)? Any recipe adjustments I need to make?
You can definitely use regular. It just may not pack as much flavor, but will still be delicious.
Could I swap the cream cheese for ricotta? I don’t mind the difference in texture, and they are both rich ingredients?
We haven’t tested it that way but you could certainly give it a try. I think it would be delicious.
This was absolutely delicious!! I ended up needing to add a bit more broth while it was cooking since the liquid seemed to boil off before the pasta could fully cook, but it wasn’t a big deal. I added shredded Parmesan at the end and it turned out great! Super easy and quick recipe as well!