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This no-fuss one pot creamy Cajun chicken pasta is simple, spicy, and delicious. An easy 30 minute weeknight meal idea that’s packed with flavor!
This post was originally published on March 25, 2016. I am going through and updating some of my old posts with new photos, better info, and more clearly written recipes.
I was going to make this pasta the old fashioned usual way, but I figured to heck with it – let’s do this in one pot.
The appeal of one pot dishes for me is the way the starch releases from the pasta and thickens the sauce.
Sure, it saves on dishes too… but let’s get real here. I don’t do my own dishes if I can possibly avoid it!
This easy Cajun chicken pasta recipe isn’t too spicy. I enjoyed it, so it can’t be. 😛
It does have a little bit of kick, though. My husband loves spicy food and enjoyed this dish, so there you go.
How to make creamy Cajun chicken pasta in one pot
Sauté your onions for 5 minutes; add chicken to the pot and cook for a few minutes.
Add the sun-dried tomatoes, chicken broth, water, cream, garlic, Cajun seasoning, and pasta to the pot.
Bring it to a boil; let it gently boil for 10-15 minutes or until pasta is al dente and sauce is reduced.
Stir in basil & parmesan cheese.
Easy!
I wouldn’t go so far as to call the creamy Cajun sauce in this recipe healthy, but the cream and parmesan cheese is split amongst at least four servings, so it’s not too bad. This definitely is a healthier Cajun chicken pasta than it could be.
You may also like my Creamy Cajun Chicken recipe.
Between the Cajun seasoning, fresh basil, sun-dried tomatoes, onions, and garlic, there’s a lot of flavor in this dish, which takes the chicken breast from bland to grand.
This creamy Cajun chicken pasta is great for busy weeknights, and it makes pretty damn good leftovers for lunch the next day! No sad desk lunches the day after you make this dish.
What’s in Cajun seasoning?
I use a pre-made Cajun seasoning blend to save time/effort, but it’s easy enough to make your own. It usually contains garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, onion powder, cayenne pepper, thyme, oregano, red pepper flakes, and salt.
Want to kick up the spice in this dish? Add some more cayenne pepper.
If you love Cajun flavors, try my Chicken Lazone or this Cajun Remoulade Sauce Recipe.
I hope you’ll give this Cajun chicken pasta recipe a go!
Love Cajun pasta recipes? You may also like my Cajun shrimp pasta recipe, my Cajun sausage pasta recipe, or my Cajun salmon pasta.
Do you ever make one pot pastas?
Let me know in the comments below if you’ve tried this recipe!
One Pot Cajun Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- 2 chicken breasts cut into bite-size pieces
- 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped
- 1 (10 fluid ounce) can chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 3 cups water
- 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning (use a salt-free one)
- 1-2 cloves garlic minced
- 3 cups uncooked fusilli pasta
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- 6 leaves fresh basil chopped
Instructions
- Add the butter and olive oil to a fairly large pot over medium-high heat.
- Add the onion to the pot and sauté for about five minutes, stirring occasionally (ok if it lightly browns).
- Meanwhile, cut the chicken breasts into bite-size strips, and trim off any excess fat/gristle if necessary. Add chicken to the pot and cook it for a couple of minutes until the outside of the chicken turns white.
- Add the sun-dried tomatoes, chicken broth, cream, water, Cajun seasoning, garlic, and pasta to the pot. Stir. Increase heat to high. Once it comes to a boil, reduce heat to medium-high (or lower) so it's gently boiling.
- Cook for 10-15 minutes (stir occasionally so pasta won't stick to the bottom) or until the pasta is done and the liquid is reduced to a level you're satisfied with.
- Stir in the parmesan cheese and basil before serving.
Notes
- This recipe is accurate as tested on my stove. However, stoves (especially electric ones) can vary, so if you notice the pasta is not yet cooked and there doesn't seem to be enough liquid, I suggest using your best judgment and adding a bit more liquid as needed, a half cup at a time until the pasta is cooked.
- Some pastas absorb more liquid than others, so I suggest sticking to the type of pasta I recommend in this recipe.
- I used the sun-dried tomatoes that are packed in oil.
- Some Cajun seasonings have a lot of salt, so be careful or this dish can be over-salted really quickly.
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This looks amazing! Can half and half be used in place of the heavy cream or will that mess with the consistency too much? I’m not worried about calories too much, I just want to use what I have on hand if I can! Thank you!!
Hi! I think in this type of recipe half-and-half will likely be ok, actually, since it’s one pot. I don’t usually recommend it as a sub, but that should be fine. 🙂
Thank you!! We ended up using heavy cream and it was delicious! We followed the recipe as written and loved it, but I think next time we’ll add some broccoli or peas something just to add a little more texture. Thank you for the yummy, easy recipe!
You’re welcome! Glad you enjoyed it.
I have been meaning to try this recipe for so long. Definitely the lesser dishes to wash the better. And this was such an easier recipe to follow than what I had tried before. I did upped the cajun and added red pepper flakes. Great go to recipe of mine. Thanks!
Excellent… so glad you liked it, Jeanette! 🙂
Great recipe. I don’t usually cook a pasta recipe in one pot, but this worked just fine. As a novice, I was a little concerned initially about the level of liquid (water and broth), but it all came together. I added a little salt and some other spices to taste. Thanks Natasha
I’m so happy it worked. You are very welcome! I don’t do too many one pot pasta recipes either, but they’re definitely fun on occasion. 🙂
Do you cook the pasta in the same pot?
Yes, it all goes into the same pot 🙂
Thanks Natasha and sorry about that – feeling a bit slow today! I made it and my husband and I loved it 🙂 The only thing I did differently was use dried basil (ran out of fresh basil) and added the cream in at the very end.
Thanks for the recipe!
No worries! I am so glad you guys enjoyed it 🙂
I’ve never tried the whole one-post pasta thing yet because I too am afraid of messing up the pasta:liquid ratio!! But this looks really good and you have a really good point about the thickened starchy water and the sauce – yum. I have been *obsessed* with making everything Cajun spiced lately, so I am salivating as I am looking at your beautiful pictures!
Aw thanks Kate! Yeah one pot won’t work with everything, but so far I’ve had good luck with my concoctions ?
Fantastic dish and flavours, thank you. Made a slight modification by adding a red pepper and some mange tout towards the end, keeping the crunch and adding an additional texture.
Thank you again!
So glad you enjoyed it, Chris!! Those sound like great additions 🙂
Looks delicious! I’ve gotta say, I’m all about less dirty dishes.
Thank you! Me too 🙂
Mmm. I love the creamy sauce and the combination of sun-dried tomatoes with chicken and pasta! Great recipe, Natasha!
Thanks so much, Tania!!