I Love This Easy Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
Ever since I made the chicken jambalaya I posted a few weeks ago, I can’t stop with the creole and cajun seasonings! It is a seasoning combination I am so in love with and can’t wait to use all the time! I never realized what a versatile and honestly pretty neutral seasoning it was that any taste buds would love. I kind of got the impression for some reason that cajun seasoning was really spicy, but with a spice blend of paprika, garlic, black and white pepper, to name a few, it is a really lovely full flavor, with as much or as little spice as you want.
Cajun seasoning goes great on anything like: steak on the grill, ground turkey or beef, baked chicken, soups and stews, mashed potatoes, fries or tater tots, fish, etc. If you half or omit the cayenne pepper, you can really make it mild, even mild enough for toddlers to enjoy. That’s all it takes to adjust the level of spice in your new go-to seasoning mix to keep on hand. I’m going to post a recipe of the seasoning mix I made as well as the amazing pasta recipe.
Recently, when I got a rotisserie chicken from Costco, I was able to use the chicken to make three meals--first off, simply carving off the meat we wanted to enjoy for a roast chicken with veggies and rolls on the side. I then deboned the chicken and got two more meals out of it. The second meal was the tamale casserole I shared last week. And lastly, I made this creamy cajun chicken pasta dish from Natasha’s Kitchen that was another hit for my family. Keep in mind that if you are needing to stretch the chicken a little further you can add another can of the canned chicken from Kirkland Signature to “beef it up” a bit.
Vegetarian and Keto Options
I also added a can of button mushrooms because I knew the flavor would go great with it and it it did. It also helped stretch the meal a little further. If you are wanting to make this meal vegetarian, simply omit the chicken and do the mushrooms instead. I also easily made this a keto meal for myself by using the hearts of palm noodles I get at either Costco or Trader Joe’s and used the regular sauce and chicken on my carb free noodles, while everyone else had the linguine noodles. It worked out perfectly and everyone was happy!
What are some of your favorite ways to use up leftover chicken from a rotisserie chicken? Please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.
8 ounces linguine pasta
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons cajun seasonings, divided
3 garlic cloves, minced
2/3 cup diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped, to serve
Directions:
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5 tablespoons paprika
3 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons dried basil
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon white peppers
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
Directions:
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Cajun seasoning goes great on anything like: steak on the grill, ground turkey or beef, baked chicken, soups and stews, mashed potatoes, fries or tater tots, fish, etc. If you half or omit the cayenne pepper, you can really make it mild, even mild enough for toddlers to enjoy. That’s all it takes to adjust the level of spice in your new go-to seasoning mix to keep on hand. I’m going to post a recipe of the seasoning mix I made as well as the amazing pasta recipe.
Recently, when I got a rotisserie chicken from Costco, I was able to use the chicken to make three meals--first off, simply carving off the meat we wanted to enjoy for a roast chicken with veggies and rolls on the side. I then deboned the chicken and got two more meals out of it. The second meal was the tamale casserole I shared last week. And lastly, I made this creamy cajun chicken pasta dish from Natasha’s Kitchen that was another hit for my family. Keep in mind that if you are needing to stretch the chicken a little further you can add another can of the canned chicken from Kirkland Signature to “beef it up” a bit.
Vegetarian and Keto Options
I also added a can of button mushrooms because I knew the flavor would go great with it and it it did. It also helped stretch the meal a little further. If you are wanting to make this meal vegetarian, simply omit the chicken and do the mushrooms instead. I also easily made this a keto meal for myself by using the hearts of palm noodles I get at either Costco or Trader Joe’s and used the regular sauce and chicken on my carb free noodles, while everyone else had the linguine noodles. It worked out perfectly and everyone was happy!
What are some of your favorite ways to use up leftover chicken from a rotisserie chicken? Please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.
Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta is such a simple and quick recipe, perfect for weeknight dinners. Juicy chicken breast tossed with tender pasta in a creamy cajun garlic sauce, ready in 30 minutes.
Prep time:
Cook time:
Serving size: 6
Calories per serving: 451
Ingredients:
Cook time:
Serving size: 6
Calories per serving: 451
8 ounces linguine pasta
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons cajun seasonings, divided
3 garlic cloves, minced
2/3 cup diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped, to serve
Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 1 Tbsp salt. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water then drain, cover, and keep warm.
Beat the chicken breasts so that they are even in thickness and season all over with 1 1/2 Tbsp cajun seasoning.
In a large non-reactive skillet*, heat 2 tsp oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken and sear on both sides. Turn heat down to low and saute until cooked through and 165?F on a thermometer. Transfer to a cutting board, slice into thin strips, and cover to keep warm.
In the same skillet over medium heat, saute the butter and garlic for 30-60 seconds or until the garlic is fragrant. Add the diced tomatoes and saute another 2 minutes.
Add in the heavy whipping cream, remaining cajun seasoning, and parmesan cheese, and bring to a simmer. Season to taste if needed.
Add the sliced chicken and cooked pasta to the sauce and toss until combined and pasta and chicken are warmed through. Add warm reserved pasta water if desired to thin the sauce. Serve with freshly grated parmesan and chopped parsley.
Source: natashaskitchen.com
Beat the chicken breasts so that they are even in thickness and season all over with 1 1/2 Tbsp cajun seasoning.
In a large non-reactive skillet*, heat 2 tsp oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken and sear on both sides. Turn heat down to low and saute until cooked through and 165?F on a thermometer. Transfer to a cutting board, slice into thin strips, and cover to keep warm.
In the same skillet over medium heat, saute the butter and garlic for 30-60 seconds or until the garlic is fragrant. Add the diced tomatoes and saute another 2 minutes.
Add in the heavy whipping cream, remaining cajun seasoning, and parmesan cheese, and bring to a simmer. Season to taste if needed.
Add the sliced chicken and cooked pasta to the sauce and toss until combined and pasta and chicken are warmed through. Add warm reserved pasta water if desired to thin the sauce. Serve with freshly grated parmesan and chopped parsley.
Source: natashaskitchen.com
Recipe formatted with the Cook'n Recipe Software from DVO Enterprises.
Creole Seasoning Blend
This Creole seasoning adds amazing flavor to rice, meats, soups, and stews with a spice blend of paprika, onion, garlic, oregano, thyme, and cayenne. Total Time: 5M
Yield: 20
Serving size: 20
Calories per serving: 12
Ingredients:
Serving size: 20
Calories per serving: 12
5 tablespoons paprika
3 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons dried basil
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon white peppers
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
Directions:
Combine paprika, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, basil, thyme, black pepper, white pepper, and cayenne pepper.
Store in an airtight container.
Source: allrecipes.com
Store in an airtight container.
Source: allrecipes.com
Recipe formatted with the Cook'n Recipe Software from DVO Enterprises.
Mary Richardson
Weekly Newsletter Contributor since 2014
Email the author! mary@dvo.com
