Description
This One Pot Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta is a quick, flavorful, and easy weeknight dinner bursting with bold Cajun spices, tender chicken, creamy sauce, and fire-roasted tomatoes—all cooked together in one skillet for minimal cleanup.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Cajun Seasoning
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp salt
Chicken Pasta
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1/2 lb. penne pasta (uncooked)
- 15 oz. fire roasted diced tomatoes, with juices
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 oz. cream cheese
- 3 green onions, sliced (for garnish)
Instructions
- Prepare Cajun Seasoning and Chicken: In a small bowl, combine the smoked paprika, oregano, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and salt to make the Cajun seasoning. Cut the chicken breast into 1/2 to 3/4-inch cubes. In a bowl, toss the cubed chicken with the Cajun seasoning until fully coated.
- Sear the Chicken: Heat olive oil and butter in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Once the skillet is hot and the butter is melted and foamy, add the seasoned chicken. Cook for a couple of minutes on each side, just until the outside starts to brown (the chicken does not have to be cooked through).
- Add Onions: Add the diced yellow onion to the skillet and sauté for about 2 minutes, just until the onion begins to soften and any browned bits are loosened from the bottom of the skillet.
- Add Pasta, Tomatoes, and Broth: Add the uncooked penne pasta, fire roasted diced tomatoes (with their juices), and chicken broth to the pan. Stir to combine all ingredients evenly. Cover the skillet with a lid and bring the broth to a boil.
- Simmer the Pasta: When boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low. Let the pasta simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes, until the pasta is tender and the sauce has thickened to a creamy consistency.
- Add Cream Cheese: Cut the cream cheese into chunks. Add to the skillet and stir until it has completely melted into the sauce, making it creamy.
- Garnish and Serve: Top with sliced green onions and serve hot for best results.
Notes
- The deep skillet used for this recipe has a 4-quart capacity; ensure your skillet is large enough.
- Adjust the heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer when cooking the pasta.
- Stir often to prevent the pasta from sticking to the pan.
- For an extra creamy sauce, you can add a splash of heavy cream at the end.
- Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator and can be reheated gently on the stovetop.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 920mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 54g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 92mg
