This Cajun Chicken Pasta make the perfect winter comfort food; the combination of spices and cozy ingredients is perfect for warming you right up.
I was inspired by my favorite chicken and sausage jambalaya to dream up this creamy pasta dish, which stars spicy chunks of chicken and smoked turkey sausage with penne and a simple cream sauce. The classic trinity of Cajun cooking—onion, celery, and bell pepper—add a colorful crunch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ingredients for Making Cajun Chicken Pasta
This pasta recipes comes together in no time and with simple everyday ingredients, here’s what you’ll need;
- Pasta – I love to use penne pasta for this recipe but any short pasta shape will do.
- Cajun Seasoning – I use store-bought cajun seasoning it’s easy and always comes in handy for adding a flavor bomb to quick meals!
- Chicken – Chicken breasts cut into slices but you can use chicken thighs (off the bone and no skin) or leftover roast chicken.
- Turkey Sausage – Smoked turkey sausage adds a ton of flavor to this dish. If you can’t find it then use regular pork smoked sausage for the smoked flavor.
- Veggies – Onion, garlic, green bell pepper and celery add a whole lot of flavor and texture plus it’s a great way to add in veggies to a comfort food meal.
- White Wine – You can replace this with stock if preferred but it’s needed to deglaze the pan.
- Cream and Yogurt – This is what gives the pasta a luxurious creaminess, so delicious!
Is Cajun Chicken Pasta Spicy?
This recipe isn’t too spicy, the cream and yogurt mellow the spiciness a lot but I love to add a little more heat by sprinkling more seasoning on top before serving. You can also add in some cayenne pepper to the pasta for an extra kick.
Can I Make it in Advance?
You can make this dish in advance up until adding the cream and yogurt. Creamy dishes thicken when cool and they don’t reheat so well so add it when you’re ready to eat.
How to Make Cajun Chicken Pasta
1.. Add olive oil, the sliced chicken and cajun seasoning to a Dutch oven.
2. Cook until browned and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
3. Next, add all the veggies and turkey sausage, saute.
4. Add the cream to the mixture and stir.
5. Add the chicken back to the Dutch oven.
6. Add in cooked penne pasta, stir to combine.
7. Add the yogurt to the cajun pasta and stir.
8. Adjust the thickness of the sauce with reserved pasta water then serve with a sprinkling of cajun spice and green onions.
Leftovers and Freezing
Leftovers cajun chicken pasta makes a great cold pasta salad for lunches, add in extra yogurt if needed. It’ll keep in the fridge for 1-2 days.
I don’t recommend freezing as dairy doesn’t freeze so well. Although it’s safe to freeze the texture will change and will likely lose it’s creaminess.
Serving Suggestions
Because this cajun pasta recipe has chicken, sausage and veggies it’s a complete meal for me so I don’t serve it with sides. It makes weeknight meals super easy and effortless.
If you’re cooking for more people and would like a side or just want to add a little freshness to the meal then a nice fresh salad would work really well!
Here are some salads I recommend;
Top Tips for Making Cajun Chicken Pasta
- Since you’re preparing the pasta first, remember these two important steps: First, be sure to save a cup of pasta water before draining the pasta. Second, run the drained pasta under warm water just before adding it to the sauce to keep it from sticking together.
- Store-bought Cajun seasoning blends can vary in salt levels; I recommend waiting to add salt to the recipe until it’s all stirred together in the pan, just before serving.
- Smoked turkey sausage is often sold pre-cooked; be sure to check the package to confirm.
- You can use half and half instead of heavy creamy to make the sauce lighter and if you prefer you can go for a low fat yogurt
More Delicious Pasta Recipes You Might Like
If you’ve tried this Cajun Chicken Pasta Recipe then don’t forget to leave a rating and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Cajun Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 lb. penne pasta cooked according to package directions
- 3 Tbsp. olive oil divided
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts sliced ½-inch thick
- 4 tsp. Cajun seasoning divided
- 1 13 oz. package turkey sausage sliced
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 1 cup diced green bell pepper
- 1 cup diced celery
- 3 Tbsp. minced garlic
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 2 cups heavy cream
- Kosher salt to taste
- 1 ½ cups whole milk yogurt
- Sliced green onion and Cajun seasoning for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare pasta; drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water. Set both aside.
- Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add chicken; sprinkle with 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from pan, and set aside.
- Add sausage, onion, bell pepper, celery, and 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning to pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic to pan; cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes. Add wine; stir to release browned bits from bottom of pan.
- Add cream to pan; stir to combine. Return chicken to pan; stir in cooked pasta.
- Stir in yogurt; add reserved pasta water, ¼ cup at a time, until pasta reaches desired consistency.
- Taste and season with remaining 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning and additional salt, if desired.
- Garnish servings with green onion and a sprinkle of Cajun seasoning, if desired.
Notes
- Since you’re preparing the pasta first, remember these two important steps: First, be sure to save a cup of pasta water before draining the pasta. Second, run the drained pasta under warm water just before adding it to the sauce to keep it from sticking together.
- Store-bought Cajun seasoning blends can vary in salt levels; I recommend waiting to add salt to the recipe until it’s all stirred together in the pan, just before serving.
- Smoked turkey sausage is often sold pre-cooked; be sure to check the package to confirm.
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