Cajun Chicken Pasta

Cajun Chicken Pasta is a smoky, creamy, and totally irresistible weeknight dinner that comes together in just one pot! With juicy chicken, tender penne, fire-roasted tomatoes, and a rich, spice-kissed sauce—the pasta absorbs all that gorgeous Cajun seasoning while simmering in chicken broth, and the cream cheese melts into the sauce to create the dreamiest texture.

Love More Chicken Pasta Recipes? Try My Garlic Butter Chicken Bites with Creamy Pasta or this Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta next.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This Cajun Chicken Pasta hits every single note. It’s got that perfect balance of smoky heat from the paprika and cayenne, creaminess from the cream cheese, and a depth of flavor from those fire-roasted tomatoes that just makes your taste buds dance. I love it because it’s fancy enough for company but easy enough for a Tuesday night when I’m exhausted.

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Ingredient List

Cajun Seasoning (Homemade Spice Mix):

• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Main Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• ½ pound uncooked penne pasta
• 15 ounces fire-roasted diced tomatoes (with juices)
• 2 cups chicken broth (or stock)
• 2 ounces cream cheese
• 3 green onions, sliced (for topping)

Why These Ingredients Work

So the smoked paprika is really the whole point here. I ran out once and used regular paprika and my husband took one bite and goes “what’s different?” It was bland. Boring. You need that smoky flavor. The fire-roasted tomatoes are doing the same thing, adding more smoke and this sweet-tangy thing that keeps it from being one-dimensional spicy.

That cream cheese situation seems weird when you read it but just trust me. It melts right in and makes the sauce creamy and thick without making you feel like you ate a brick afterwards. I use butter and oil together because butter tastes better but oil keeps it from burning when you’re searing the chicken. And cooking the pasta right in the broth instead of boiling it separately? That’s how it actually absorbs the flavor instead of just sitting there like a bland pasta hat on top of sauce.

Essential Tools and Equipment

• Big deep skillet, like 12 inches across and deep enough that you’re not gonna overflow it
• Small bowl for the spices
• Cutting board and a decent knife
• Measuring stuff
• Wooden spoon or whatever you stir with

How To Make Cajun Chicken Pasta

Step 1: Mix Your Cajun Seasoning

Throw all the spices in a bowl and mix them up. I make a double batch sometimes and keep it in an old spice jar so I don’t have to measure everything out next time. Way better than the store stuff and you can adjust the heat level to whatever your family can handle.

Step 2: Prepare the Chicken

Cut your chicken into bite-size chunks. I aim for like half an inch but honestly as long as they’re roughly the same size so they cook evenly you’re fine. Toss them with the spice mix. I use my hands because I’m lazy and it coats better that way.

Step 3: Brown the Chicken

Put your skillet on medium-high and add the oil and butter. Wait till the butter stops foaming around. Add your chicken and let it brown for a couple minutes per side. And here’s the thing that feels wrong but isn’t—don’t cook it through. It’s gonna finish cooking with the pasta later and if you cook it all the way now it’ll be dry and nobody wants that. You just want the outside brown for flavor.

Step 4: Add the Onion

Dump in your onion and cook it for maybe 2 minutes till it gets soft. The water from the onion helps scrape up all those crusty brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Don’t skip this part, those crusty bits are where the flavor lives.

Step 5: Add Pasta, Tomatoes, and Broth

Now throw in your dry pasta straight from the box, the whole can of fire-roasted tomatoes including all the juice, and your broth. Mix it around, put a lid on it, and crank the heat till it boils.

Step 6: Simmer Until Tender

Turn it down to medium-low so it’s just bubbling gently. Let it cook about 10 minutes. You have to stir this every 2 minutes or so or the pasta sticks to the bottom and burns. I know it’s annoying but I learned this the hard way. Set a timer if you’re distracted like me. The liquid reduces down and gets thick and saucy while the pasta cooks. Sometimes it takes longer than 10 minutes depending on your stove and how you like your pasta so just keep tasting it.

Step 7: Stir In Cream Cheese

Chop up your cream cheese into small pieces and mix it in. Keep stirring till it melts and the sauce gets smooth. Takes maybe a minute.

Step 8: Finish and Serve

Put the green onions on top and call everyone to dinner. Done.

You Must Know

That partially-cooked chicken thing freaked me out the first time I made this but it’s the whole trick to keeping it juicy. It finishes cooking while everything simmers and it’s perfect. You really do have to stir it every couple minutes while it’s simmering. I forgot once while I was helping with homework and we had burnt pasta stuck to the pan. Not my finest moment. And use a deep skillet, like actually deep, or when you add all the pasta and liquid it’s gonna be a disaster.

Personal Secret: I turn the heat off and leave the lid on for another 2-3 minutes before I serve it. My mom does this with everything she cooks and I never understood why till I tried it. The sauce gets thicker and everything just tastes more… together? I don’t know how to explain it but it works.

Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

If your sauce is too thin just cook it longer without the lid. Mine turns out different thicknesses depending on what broth I used. If it’s too thick splash in more broth or even water. Some people cook the chicken all the way, take it out, then add it back at the end. That’s fine too if you’re paranoid about dry chicken but I’m usually too impatient for that.

Do not ever use regular paprika instead of smoked unless you want boring pasta. I will die on this hill. If you’re nervous about spice use less cayenne or skip it completely. My neighbor won’t eat anything spicy and I make it with zero cayenne for her and it’s still good. You can always put hot sauce on the table.

Flavor Variations & Suggestions

I dice up a bell pepper with the onion when I’ve got one sitting in my fridge. Mushrooms are good too. My sister makes this with shrimp instead of chicken and just adds them at the very end for like 3 minutes so they don’t get rubbery.

When my dad comes over I cook bacon first and crumble it on top because he’s obsessed with bacon on everything. Sometimes I use the bacon grease instead of the oil. Makes it richer. If you want it super creamy add more cream cheese or pour in some heavy cream at the end.

You can make this lighter with zucchini noodles instead but add them at the very end so they don’t turn to mush. Cauliflower rice works too. I’ve thrown in frozen broccoli straight from the bag and it was fine.

Make-Ahead Options

This is really a cook-it-and-eat-it situation because pasta keeps absorbing liquid after it’s done. But you can cut up your chicken and coat it with the seasoning the night before and keep it in the fridge covered. Mix up your spices ahead too if that helps you move faster.

Leftovers last maybe 3 days in the fridge in whatever container you’ve got. The sauce gets super thick because the pasta soaks it all up. When you reheat it add some broth or water to loosen it back up. I usually warm it up on the stove with a little extra liquid but microwave works if you’re in a hurry. Don’t freeze this. I tried it once and the pasta got mushy and the cream cheese separated and it was just sad.

Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips

You really need a deep skillet. Mine’s 12 inches and maybe 3 or 4 inches deep. If you’ve only got a shallow pan use a Dutch oven instead. Keep it at a gentle simmer not a crazy boil or all your liquid disappears and you’re stuck with crunchy pasta swimming in thick sauce.

Chicken thighs are honestly more forgiving if you’re worried about overcooking. I buy the Trader Joe’s fire-roasted tomatoes and they’re pretty salty so taste it before you add more salt. Those green onions actually matter, they’re not just to make it look pretty. They add this fresh mild onion flavor that cuts through all the richness.

Serving Suggestions

I usually just serve this by itself because it’s already got protein, carbs, vegetables, everything. Sometimes I’ll make a salad if I’m feeling ambitious but that’s rare. Garlic bread is really good with this for soaking up sauce. We drink sweet tea with dinner most nights but my friends always bring wine when I make this for them.

If you want it to look fancy sprinkle some parmesan on top or throw on fresh parsley. I serve it right out of the skillet a lot of the time because it keeps everything hot and looks kinda rustic or whatever.

How to Store Your Cajun Chicken Pasta

Put leftovers in whatever container you’ve got with a lid and stick it in the fridge. It’ll last 3 days, maybe 4 if you’re pushing it. The pasta’s gonna suck up all the liquid while it sits so it’ll be way thicker the next day. Just add some chicken broth or water when you reheat it to loosen it back up. I reheat on the stove over low heat while I stir it around but microwave’s fine too if you’re in a rush.

Don’t freeze this. Trust me I tried. The pasta gets weird and mushy and the cream cheese separates and gets grainy. Just make what you’ll eat in the next few days.

Allergy Information

This has dairy in it from the butter and cream cheese. It’s got gluten from the pasta. If you need it dairy-free use all olive oil and try coconut cream or one of those dairy-free cream cheese things, some of them are actually pretty good. For gluten-free just use gluten-free pasta and check your broth and spices to make sure there’s no hidden gluten.

No nuts in here. If soy’s a problem check your chicken broth label because some brands have soy in them for some reason. Most dried pasta is egg-free but read the box if that’s important to you.

Questions I Get Asked A Lot

Can I use store-bought Cajun seasoning instead of making my own?

Yeah absolutely. Use like a tablespoon and a half of whatever you’ve got. Just be careful because every brand is different—some are way saltier or spicier than others. Start with less and add more if you need it. But making your own takes literally 2 minutes and you know exactly what’s in it. Up to you.

My sauce is too watery. What happened?

Your broth was probably thinner than mine or you accidentally added too much liquid. Just let it simmer longer with the lid off and keep stirring till it thickens up. It should coat the pasta and be creamy, not soupy and thin.

Can I use rotisserie chicken to make this faster?

Yeah totally. Skip the whole browning chicken step. Just cook your onion in the butter and oil, add everything else, and stir in shredded rotisserie chicken at the very end to warm it up. Cuts your time way down. I do this when I’m really in a rush.

Is this really spicy?

There’s a little kick but it won’t hurt you. That quarter teaspoon of cayenne gives warmth not pain. If you hate spice or you’re feeding little kids cut the cayenne in half or leave it out completely. My nephew’s five and he eats this version fine. Put hot sauce on the table for people who want more heat.

The cream cheese won’t melt smoothly. What do I do?

Cut it into smaller chunks and make sure everything’s really hot when you add it. Keep stirring and give it a minute to melt. If it’s still being stubborn scoop out a cup of the hot liquid, whisk the cream cheese into that off the heat until it’s smooth, then pour it all back into the skillet. Works every time.

💬 Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below! I’d love to hear what you think, and don’t forget to tag me in your photos—I get so excited seeing your kitchen creations!