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?
Hi! I really want to make this, but already have cajun spice in my cabinet. How much should I use?
About 2 Tbsp should be fine. Enjoy!
Absolutely DELICIOUS! I used chicken sausage instead of chicken and it turned out fabulous! Wonderful recipe, thank you for sharing!
I just tried this recipe tonight and one note I would add is when you cover the pan to bring everything to a boil and then simmer for about 10 minutes after it boils, remove the lid. This is so the sauce can reduce and thicken. I did not do that so it was still watery when I added the cream cheese and I had to let it simmer for several more minutes and ended up with chicken that was a bit overcooked. I graded some parmesan over the top and it helped thicken the sauce as well.
Great suggestion!
Can I add broccoli? And I’m not a fan of cream cheese but would it still taste good with the heavy cream instead? And I don’t pre cook the pasta right?
Yes that would be a great addition! No need to pre cook the pasta.
Can I use a can of Rotel in place of the can of fire roasted tomatoes?? I don’t have anything else except for crushed tomatoes which would be best??
Yes I think that would be delicious!
I use the fire roasted rotel and it’s delicious
What vegetables can be added to this? Bell peppers would be good, but I’m blanking on anything else. Maybe eggplant? Spinach? I like to include veggies wherever I can but I’m not good at improvising!
I think you’re great at improvising! I love bell pepper in almost anything. I’d say spinach would be great too. Maybe some carrots!
This was AMAZING. This is one of the only dishes I’ve made where the seasoning was on point, and I didn’t have to add more. What helped along the flavor and saved me 2 steps was using a whole rotisserie chicken (traditional seasoning) and adding 6 tsp of store- bought cajun seasoning. Was fantastic. I regret pre-cooking my pasta before adding it. Im sure it would’ve been closer to el dente had I listened more closely to the directions.
was the chicken already made?? 😇
Just made this for lunch. Quick, easy, tasty dish. I didn’t have the fire roasted diced tomatoes, so I used regular diced tomatoes and added some finely chopped sun dried tomatoes.
This was very good. I added green and red peppers and used more cream cheese and chicken broth because I used the whole box of pasta. Perfecto!
Followed the recipe precisely. Although I used salted butter, regular sodium fire-roasted tomatoes, and regular-sodium chicken broth, mine needed more salt for sure. I used free-range broth, so maybe the sodium was lower than other broths. That’s the only thing I’ll change for next time!
This was great! I added some fresh garlic, extra garlic powder, and used some leftover jalapeño cream cheese I had. I also added some fresh basil to my bowl which added some nice sweetness. Great easy recipe!
Was there another recipe very similar to this that was not all one pot? It’s been one of my favorites and (although I am sure this one is delicious) I would love to make it again but am having trouble finding the recipe.
I made this for my boyfriend and we both agreed that it slapped
This is our 3rd time making it and its still as amazing as the first time! This recipe tastes great and is relatively easy to make!
Pretty good! This was the first recipe I have ever followed, and I’m glad this was my first meal. I basically followed as is, except 1/2 cup less stock and simmered longer. Note: don’t worry if the pasta sauce seems wayyy too liquidy. Just let it simmer longer and the cream cheese will add a LOT of the richness. So good!