With just a hint of spice but filled with great cajun flavor, this Shortcut Cajun Chicken Pasta is your new easy weeknight meal go-to! You’ll have it on the table in no-time flat!
I’ll admit it. I’m a huge pasta lover. HUGE. I just love it. Any type. But, my absolute favorite pasta dish is a Cajun Chicken Pasta made by a local restaurant. It’s perfectly al dente pasta with a decadent cream sauce, peppers, onions, garlic, and deliciously seared chicken with just a hint of heat and TONS of flavor. It is beyond good y’all. So of course, I just had to make a copycat version!
This Shortcut Cajun Chicken Pasta is pretty much a perfect dupe for my favorite restaurant version. And, the best part… it is quick and easy! You simply boil your pasta, cook up your chicken in a skillet, and throw it all together with premade, spiced up Alfredo sauce as a shortcut with yummy veggies. And, enjoy!
How to make shortcut cajun chicken pasta:
While pasta recipes are generally pretty easy to make at home, I don’t always have the time or energy to make them from scratch. And, this cajun chicken pasta recipe is no exception. So, I decided to create a shortcut that has all the great flavor of a creamy cajun chicken pasta without the time. Enter jarred Alfredo sauce.
Don’t knock it ’til you try it! Using a premade Alfredo sauce leads to a super easy and amazingly quick dish. And trust me, the end result doesn’t taste like just any old jarred pasta sauce. I promise. It just works as a delicious conduit for all that great cajun flavor. Your choice of jarred Alfredo sauce will do. Save yourself the time and headache that can come with excessively stirring a homemade Alfredo mixture of butter, heavy cream, and parmesan cheese. And, even better yet, no worrying over scorching that sauce you have spent so much time working away at!
What type of seasoning should I use in cajun chicken pasta?
So, let’s talk about this seasoning I use. I use this Badia Louisiana Cajun seasoning for several reasons. It’s inexpensive, has great flavor, features perfectly blended cajun spices, and isn’t loaded with salt. So many spice blends like this have tons of salt in them.
You could definitely use your own cajun seasoning blend, but the problem is that most other blends can result in a dish that’s way too salty. That said, I don’t want you to have to run out and buy this just for this recipe. Though you’re totally welcome to do that. So, if you use something different, just start with less than what I call for in the recipe. When you get to the point where you’re putting it all together and adding the sauce, you can always add more seasoning to the dish then.
Recipe Card
Shortcut Cajun Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 (12-ounce) package fettuccini
- 1 1/2 to 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1-inch pieces)
- 1 tablespoon + 1/2 teaspoon cajun seasoning ((see note))
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 red bell pepper (seeds removed and sliced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1/2 white onion (peeled and sliced)
- 1 (16-ounce) jar prepared Alfredo sauce
- chopped parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the fettuccini according to the package directions and drain; set aside
- In a medium bowl, add 1 tablespoon of the cajun seasoning to the chicken and stir to coat.
- In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until it is cooked through, stirring occasionally. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Return the pan to the heat and add additional oil if needed. Add the pepper and onion and cook until just tender. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant – about 1 minute. Return the chicken to the pan and pour in the Alfredo sauce. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon of the cajun seasoning. Taste and add salt, pepper, or more cajun seasoning as desired. Add the pasta to the pan and stir to mix well. Serve immediately. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
* If nutritional values are provided, they are an estimate and will vary depending on the brands used. The values do not include optional ingredients or when ingredients are added to taste. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, I recommend grabbing your favorite brands and plugging those ingredients into an online nutritional calculator.
Jeanne
Tried this tonight and really enjoyed it. I did not have fettuccine so used mini-penne, which worked great. Thanks again for a wonderful new recipe! Easy, too!
So glad you enjoyed it!
Cathy Kane
Thank you for this recipe. I followed the recipe and it was excellent. My husband loved it and he generally does not get excited about food, LOL. I love a good shortcut, and this was perfect. Thank you for recommending the Badia. I’ve used other cajun blends in the past and this one blows them out of the water.
I’m so glad to hear y’all enjoyed it, Cathy!
Kelly
PERFECT!!! Thank you
Sweet! Glad you enjoyed it!
Maggie
This was a hit with my mother! She usually says new recipes are “all right”. She liked this one and even had seconds!! It’s definitely a keeper. I used Tony Chachere’s Original Seasoning in the amount listed in the recipe.
Awesome! So glad your mom enjoyed it!!
Easyladys
I am so honored to have my recipe featured. thank you so much! I always love visiting MPM and finding new recipes to try from my fellow bloggers!
Mimi B
Loved this recipe so much we ate it three nights in a row! Never has that happened before. Thanks for sharing this delicious recipe!!
I’d say that’s high praise! I’m just tickled y’all enjoyed it so much!
Tracy
My daughter and I made this recipe together this evening. It was easy, delicious, and we enjoyed cooking together. Thanks!
Nothing makes me happier than hearing about families in the kitchen together!
Julee P.
This was a huge hit with my family of 5! Even the kiddos loved it!! Very easy to make and tastes delicious! Will definitely be making this again!!!
So glad the whole crew loved it!
Jennifer Greer
I made this dish but used pork chops ???? no chicken ready so I improvised. However, it still came out delicious. I didn’t mix all the chops with Alfredo sauce just in case it was umm not so tasty. Pretty nice meal. No minced garlic so I used garlic powder instead.
Sounds great! Glad you enjoyed it!!
Ashley
I love that you use fettuccine noodles in this cajun chicken pasta! I can’t wait to try this version. Looks so good and easy too!
Thanks! Hope you’ll enjoy it!
Esther
I made this over the weekend but I used shrimp instead of chicken. It was excellent! So easy, so fast and so very delicious. I used Newman’s Own Alfredo Sauce (I always buy Newman’s Own in sauces if I am not going to make my own).
It is yet another one of your recipes that I will keep and use often. I love your site and all the wonderful recipes and tips you share. Thanks so much!
Thanks so much, Esther! I’m so happy you’ve found lots that you enjoy here!
Barney Martin
This is an absolutely delicious dish. I only made half the recipe (but used a whole jar of alfredo sauce), and my husband and I have gotten three meals out of it. I always make a coming home meal for our neighbors when they come back from vacation (who wants to think of cooking when they just get home?) and I’m making the cajun pasta for them.
I am so glad you enjoyed it. And I just have to say, thinking of your neighbors like that is so thoughtful! I need a neighbor like you! 🙂
Don Kuykendall
I made the Shortcut Cajun Chicken Pasta last week and it was easy and tasted great.
So happy to hear!!
Jane M.
Stacey, made this dish for dinner tonight and it was outstanding! Didn’t have the Badia Cajun spice available (just regular Badia) so I also threw in a nice sprinkling of cayenne pepper. I also used a 4 oz can of sliced mushrooms, draining the mushroom water into the Alfredo sauce jar, giving it a good shaking (I’m frugal), then pouring that into the chicken/Alfredo/red pepper mixture. Doing so did not overly thin out the sauce, it was perfect. Will be making this again. And (the true test) when I asked my son how he liked it, he said it was “pretty good.” His usual comment is “it was okay.”
Ha! Love hearing that! So glad y’all enjoyed it!
PattiAnn
Thank you for this recipe. I make my own Cajun spice without salt and always have a jar full ready to go.
Which alfredo sauce do you prefer?
Thanks for your reply.
I don’t have a favorite per se. I think I used a Prego sauce this time, but have used Classico also.
Brenda
Where do you purchase Badia seasoning? I want to make this for sure! Love your recipes.
Thanks, Brenda! It’s sold in the hispanic section of the grocery store.
Kari
Yum! This looks so delicious!
Kari
https://sweetteasweetie.com/passion-fruit-colada/