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?
Omg. I made this for dinner and it was delicious. I did make a few modifications. I added about 3 cups of spinach, sautéed mushrooms, and an extra ounce of cream cheese. I will definitely make this dish again and might even add a spicy sausage and bit of basil for freshness. Well done!
I love this recipe, but I added some savoie’s smoked sausage to it
Went next level 💯
It was delicious!! My family really enjoyed it.
I llllloooooveeee this recipe but I always dry out the chicken! It drives me nuts. I must be cooking too long on the front end? Any ideas?
Yep, definitely cooking too long on the front end. :) Remember the chicken will continue to cook as everything is simmering, so you don’t need to cook very long in that first step.
You could try using boneless/skinless chicken thighs too. It doesn’t tend to dry out quite as much.
Delicious! Just the right amount of spice and had great flavor. I have already made it twice and will be making again.
Excellent recipe! It turns out great every time. This is one of our go-to recipes when we are in a rut for dinner. We usually have all the items in the pantry. And now i always have your Cajun seasoning in there too! It’s fun to mix up the protein in this dish. Our favorite is chicken sausage and shrimp. Quick and tasty. Thank you!
Made this tonight. Amazing, I’ll make it again! I added broccoli at the end just because I had some to use. Heat was perfect for me, my husband would have preferred half of the cayanne pepper. I also used regular diced tomatoes since that was what I had. I’ve avoided the cream cheese pasta as it sounds rich and isn’t an ingredient I normally have on hand. Luckily someone left some cream cheese here. Next time I’ll buy some just to make this.
Very good recipe! Stuck to the recipe with the exception of adding some sauteed, diced zucchini at the end and sprinkled parm before serving. The dish was well-received!
Hella good. I have been using this recipe to lure
my ex. Hopefully he will come back to me.
Ari We went on a date two years ago. Please stop showing up at my house with pasta like you’re Uber eats. My dog ate the the pasta you left on my doorstep and sprayed poop all over my carpet. I had to throw out all my furniture.
Thank you for such a great recipe! I made it today. I pureed my tomatoes and use a little cream instead of cream cheese and less cayenne pepper. I baked my chicken in the oven then added it, shredded, last, and added a little frozen drained spinach. This couldn’t have been any easier to make. https://i.imgur.com/5Emj6bt.jpg
Husband approved ! I am a newish cook and your site has been soooo helpful. Thank you Beth! Everything I’ve made our yours has been delicious.
Really great recipe. The only thing I did differently NOT INTENTIONALLY I cooked my pasta.
So tasty and easy. I used leftover roast chicken and just added it while the pasta was cooking. It came out delicious. I added a little extra cayenne and paprika because I like them both and wanted the flavor to be very strong. Highly recommend for an easy, flavorful meal.
Thanks as always for your great recipes, Beth! I don’t know why I bother looking anywhere else for dinner ideas…yours are delicious, easy, and don’t cost half my paycheck! Thank you <3
This was awesome! It’s super easy and I added whatever veggies I had in my fridge that I needed to get rid of and it was perfect :))) I also had premade chicken so it took me literally 10 min to make
This was SO good and SO easy to whip up. I used pre-made Cajun seasoning because I’m lazy and it turned out great! I think this would go very well with spicy Italian sausage as well, might try that next time.