Cajun Chicken Alfredo Recipe with Linguine Pasta
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Cajun Chicken Alfredo is a creole kick tossed with fresh linguini for a delicious spicy weeknight meal that fills you up. Dish this pasta recipe up with your favorite side dish for a perfect under 30 minute recipe that make your taste buds dance!
Creamy Homemade Parmesan Alfredo
I pretty much believe that pasta with any dish makes it infinitely more tasty. This Cajun Chicken Pasta is a perfect EASY meal for any night of the week. Packed full of flavor, the spicy Cajun seasoning lights up your tongue while the cheese soothes it back down.
Now the homemade Alfredo sauce, made from simple whole whipping cream and Parmesan cheese, isn’t an Alfredo sauce that can overpower the final flavor. This is a lighter version focusing on the whipping cream, Parmesan and spices. If you are looking for a really thick cheesy creamy Alfredo version that smothers all your pasta, you can always make this Alfredo sauce recipe and mix spices in with your pasta prior to dumping this Cajun chicken on top. Just note that if you do more of a traditional Alfredo sauce recipe, it will likely tame down most spices as its heavier on the cheese.
Cajun Chicken Alfredo Recipe
Perfect to make for date night, family night, or any night, this is a super filling recipe that meets all your favorite food food groups- chicken, pasta, and cheese!
- 8 ounces linguine pasta, cooked and kept warm
- 1 lb chicken breast, defrosted, raw and cut into strips
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 teaspoons Cajun (or Adobo) seasoning*
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon basil
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- (OPTIONAL) 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- (OPTIONAL) chopped green onions
- (OPTIONAL) Sun Dried Tomatoes – I used half a 7 oz jar of the sun dried tomatoes. I don’t know if a 3.5 oz jar exists. I drained the oil and then tossed in the tomatoes after the chicken was made.
Pre-made Cajun Spices
You can create your own Cajun spices, which typically consist of chili pepper, cayenne, garlic, cumin, onion and often oregano. Unfortunately I do not have a recipe for that on my blog yet. However if you purchase a pre-made spice like I do, my favorite Cajun seasoning brand is this Zataran’s creole seasoning
. Zatarans seasoning is a mix of garlic, paprika, red pepper, salt, and onion. Just don’t get too careless until you know what kind of kick you want because everyone’s idea of Cajun can be a little different!
Types of Pasta Perfect for Alfredo
When you cook a pasta dinner there really are a lot of varieties to choose from. Pasta shape changes the flavors as different thicknesses and shapes hold sauce differently. Pasta shapes that work well for this chicken dish are:
- Fettuccine
- Thin Spaghetti
- Penne
- Linguine
- Angel Hair (thinner, be careful not to add too much sauce to weigh it down, but it is great)
- Zoodles– Love Cajun Chicken but need a break on the pasta carbs? Try serving this up with zoodles, which are zucchini noodles!
How to make a light Spicy Chicken Alfredo
- First prep your pasta per instructions on the box.
- Heat oil in cast iron pan and lightly season chicken with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add chicken in a skillet over medium heat, until seared on both sides and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add spices and seasoning.
- Stir in whole whipping cream and freshly shredded Parmesan cheese and heat for 2-3 minutes, making sure sauce forms (see variation of using cream cheese below, this would be where you added that cheese if you wanted to)
- Serve your Chicken and Alfredo mixture on top of fresh cooked pasta.
- Feel free to top with additional Parmesan cheese and chopped green onions.
- Note: If you dump your sauce and chicken directly on pasta it can hit the bottom of the plate. Its always good to pour into a bowl with your pasta and toss gently prior to serving to make sure that all your pasta is covered equally.
Cajun Chicken Alfredo Variations
- Toss in half a block of cream cheese to this dish and melt down and mix. This gives a super creamy version to your chicken
- A little color never heart anyone, so feel free to dice up some red bell peppers or sun dried tomatoes (like I did) in this dish
- Not everyone in my family is a fan of onions so I often use onion powder when I make for the kids, however when I am just cooking a recipe for my spouse and I, I like to throw in a few diced white onions for extra kick
- Change up your chicken for shrimp or freshly sliced Andouille Sausage . Blacked salmon also is wonderful with Cajun pasta.
- Thicken the sauce? If you want to thicken this sauce up, you can just add more Parmesan cheese or a mixture of 1 tsp cornstarch and 1/4 cup water to the sauce (combine before dumping into the sauce to prevent lumps). When you add cornstarch, it (like flour) thickens the sauce with heat.
Side Dishes for Chicken Alfredo
Every time I cook pasta like this Cajun chicken Alfredo, I like to have something green on the side. Pasta and chicken are kinda a boring bland look so it helps to serve veggies like broccoli or green beans. Plus you feel less guilty for all those carbs! Simple side salads with Caesar dressing are also a great addition. If you are feeling extra brave, add some rolls to the side to sop up the sauce (hey, we all have to live a little).
Cajun Chicken Alfredo with Linguini Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 ounces linguine pasta cooked and kept warm
- 1 lb chicken breast defrosted, raw and cut into strips
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 teaspoons Cajun or Adobo seasoning*
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon basil
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- OPTIONAL 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- OPTIONAL chopped green onions
- OPTIONAL Sun Dried Tomatoes - I used half a 7 oz jar of the sun dried tomatoes. I don't know if a 3.5 oz jar exists. I drained the oil and then tossed in the tomatoes after the chicken was made.
Instructions
- First prep your pasta per instructions on the box.
- Heat oil in cast iron pan and lightly season chicken with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add chicken in a skillet over medium heat, until seared on both sides and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add spices and seasoning.
- Stir in whole whipping cream and freshly shredded Parmesan cheese and heat for 2-3 minutes so sauce heats and thickens.
- Serve your Chicken and Alfredo sauce mixture on top of fresh cooked pasta.
- Top with additional Parmesan cheese and chopped green onions if wanted
- Note on Pasta and Sauce Assembly: If you dump your sauce and chicken directly on pasta it can hit the bottom of the plate. Its always good to pour into a bowl with your pasta and toss gently prior to serving to make sure that all your pasta is covered equally.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer: The nutritional data provided here is auto-calculated and intended for your convenience only. As it’s generated via automation, its accuracy may be compromised. For precise nutritional insight, please compute the values utilizing the actual ingredients in your recipe through your chosen nutrition calculator or application.
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