Description
A flavorful and creamy Cajun chicken pasta featuring tender Cajun-spiced chicken breasts, sautéed colorful bell peppers, onions, and mushrooms tossed in a rich heavy cream sauce with linguine. Perfect for a delicious weeknight dinner that comes together in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 6 teaspoons Cajun seasoning (divided)
- 6 tablespoons butter (divided)
Pasta
- 1 pound linguine
Vegetables
- 3 medium multi-color bell peppers (sliced)
- 1 red onion (sliced)
- 8 ounces white or cremini mushrooms (sliced)
Sauce
- 2 cups heavy cream
Instructions
- Season Chicken: Rub each boneless skinless chicken breast with about 1 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning to ensure an even coating of spice.
- Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook 1 pound of linguine according to package directions until al dente; drain and set aside.
- Sear Chicken: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 3 tablespoons of butter. Sear the seasoned chicken breasts in the melted butter for about 2 minutes per side until browned.
- Finish Cooking Chicken: Reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking the chicken for about 5 to 7 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Remove chicken from skillet and let rest.
- Sauté Vegetables: In the same skillet without cleaning, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add sliced bell peppers, red onion, and mushrooms. Sauté, stirring frequently, until vegetables are tender, about 6 to 7 minutes.
- Season Vegetables: Sprinkle the remaining 2 teaspoons of Cajun seasoning over the veggies and cook for an additional 1 minute to combine flavors.
- Make Sauce: Pour in 2 cups of heavy cream and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer to create a creamy sauce base.
- Toss Pasta and Veggies: Stir in the cooked linguine into the creamy sauce, tossing well to coat the pasta evenly with the sauce and distribute the vegetables.
- Slice and Serve: Slice the rested Cajun chicken breasts and serve them on top of the creamy Cajun pasta while hot.
Notes
- This recipe is ready in under 30 minutes, making it a quick and satisfying dinner option.
- You can make your own Cajun seasoning blend if desired, using common spices like paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, oregano, and thyme.
- Use heavy cream for a rich, creamy sauce, but light cream or half-and-half could be substituted for a lighter dish with slightly less richness.
- Resting the chicken before slicing helps keep it juicy and tender.
- Feel free to swap linguine with fettuccine or penne pasta based on preference.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 780 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 228 mg
- Fat: 44 g
- Saturated Fat: 26 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 66 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 29 g
- Cholesterol: 187 mg
