Cajun Chicken Pasta (Creamy, 30 Minutes)

Name: Cajun Chicken Pasta (Creamy, 30 Minutes)
Ingredients: 1 lb chicken breast or thighs, sliced; 1.5 Tbsp Dirty South Crack, divided; 8 oz penne or fettuccine; 1 Tbsp olive oil + 1 Tbsp butter; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1 cup heavy cream; 1/2 cup chicken broth; 1/2 cup grated parmesan; Optional: 1/2 sliced bell pepper, chopped parsley

Be the first to review

Heat: Medium One Pan

Prep

10 min

Cook

20 min

Total

30 min

Serves

4

Jump to Recipe

Creamy Cajun chicken pasta is the dish people order at restaurants and assume is hard to make. It isn't. Smoky, spicy, garlicky chicken in a creamy sauce over pasta — it's a 30-minute, one-skillet dinner, and the whole thing rides on one Cajun seasoning.

This uses Dirty South Crack, our Cajun blend (paprika, cayenne, gumbo filé, garlic, white pepper), so the chicken and the sauce get their flavor from the same jar — no balancing six spices.

Why this beats the restaurant version

30 minutes, one pan. Less cleanup, more flavor.
Cheaper than takeout, and you control the heat.
One seasoning does double duty — season the chicken, then build the sauce with it.

Crack Spice Recipe

Cajun Chicken Pasta

30 min totalServes 4Heat Medium

Ingredients

1 lb chicken breast or thighs, sliced
1.5 Tbsp Dirty South Crack, divided
8 oz penne or fettuccine
1 Tbsp olive oil + 1 Tbsp butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup grated parmesan
Optional: 1/2 sliced bell pepper, chopped parsley

Method

Boil pasta. Cook to al dente in salted water; reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
Season + sear chicken. Toss chicken with 1 Tbsp Dirty South Crack. Sear in oil + butter over medium-high, 5–6 minutes until cooked through. Remove and set aside.
Sauté. (Add peppers now if using.) Add garlic for 30 seconds.
Build the sauce. Pour in broth and cream, plus the remaining 1/2 Tbsp seasoning. Simmer 3–4 minutes to thicken.
Combine. Stir in parmesan until melted. Add pasta and chicken; toss, loosening with pasta water as needed.
Finish. Parsley and extra parmesan. Serve hot.

Total time: 30 minutes. Serves 4.

Pro tips

Season in two stages — chicken first, then the sauce — so the Cajun flavor runs through the whole dish.
Reserve pasta water. That starchy splash makes the sauce cling.
Control the heat with how much seasoning hits the sauce; serve with parmesan to mellow.

Variations

Cajun shrimp pasta — swap the chicken for shrimp (cook just 3–4 minutes).
Sausage — add sliced andouille with the chicken.
Lighter — use half-and-half instead of heavy cream.

FAQ

How spicy is it? Medium — smoky with a cayenne warmth. Cream tames it; add seasoning for more punch.

Can I make it ahead? Best fresh, but it reheats with a splash of cream or broth to loosen the sauce.

Best pasta to use? Penne holds the sauce well; fettuccine feels more restaurant-style.

Restaurant flavor, one jar: Dirty South Crack seasons the chicken and the sauce. Make creamy Cajun chicken pasta tonight.