Cajun chicken pasta mixed into a creamy tomato sauce with a hint of spice. A wholesome pasta dish full of rustic, earthy favours and made in less than 30 minutes. Its a simple family favourite that will easily fit into the busy working week.
Jump to:
👩🏻🍳 Why make this recipe
This easy pasta dish is made with a creamy and spicy tomato sauce smothered over shells of perfectly cooked pasta and chunks of pan fried Cajun chicken. This is one of those one pot recipes, where everything is prepared, cooked and served from one pan. It really is win-win all round as not only is it low on the washing up but this Cajun chicken pasta recipe is also a super healthy version. Unlike many recipes that opt for a creamy, Alfredo sauce with cajun chicken, the creamy pasta sauce in this recipe uses nothing but spices, tinned tomatoes and Greek style yogurt.
🥘 Ingredients
To make cajun chicken pasta you will need:
- ½ tablespoon Paprika
- ½ teaspoon Smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon Cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon Oregano
- 500g chicken breast cut into chunks (3 large breasts)
- ½ tablespoon oil
- 5 Spring onions sliced (50g) (save green tops for garnish - optional)
- 1 yellow bell pepper (125g) (roughly chopped)
- 2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes
- 300g uncooked pasta
- 4 tablespoon plain yogurt
- 20g freshly chopped parsley
Ingredient notes
Recipe: For the full recipe and amounts required, see the recipe card below and use the toggle button to see the recipe in cups.
Chicken: replace with your preferred veggies for a vegetarian option.
Pasta: small pastas like fusilli work well in this recipe
Yogurt: Use full fat yogurt for a creamy result. This can also be substituted with full fat crème fraîche or if you want an extra creamy pasta sauce replace with double cream.
🔪 Step by step instructions
- Place cubed chicken breast into a large bowl and add paprika, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, oregano and a pinch of sea salt. Mix well to fully coat the chicken with the spices.
- Heat ½ tablespoon oil in a large pan, when hot add the chicken to the pan then stir fry until golden brown. Then transfer the chicken to a bowl and set to one side.
- In the same pan add a bit more oil then stir fry spring onion and yellow bell pepper for a couple of minutes or until slightly soft.
- Next add the stir fried chicken back to the pan and mix in, whilst continuing to cook.
- Add the tinned tomatoes and mix in.
- Add cooked pasta and mix well to fully coat in the sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Next remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool slightly before stirring in the yogurt.
- To finish, top with parsley and serve.
💭 Expert tips
- For an extra special treat try making this dish with your own homemade fresh pasta.
- Small pastas such as shells and fusilli work best with this recipe.
- Don't add the yogurt whilst the pan is still on the heat as this will cause the yogurt to curdle.
❓ Frequently asked questions
Cajun chicken is usually chicken prepared and cooked with spices such as paprika and cayenne, plus garlic, onions and bell peppers. The paprika provides a rustic, earthy flavour whilst the cayenne adds spice. Cajun cuisine is from Louisiana but the roots of cajun cooking go back to French Colonist who arrived in New Orleans after being exiled from Canada.
The level of spice depends on how much cayenne pepper is used. In this recipe I only use ½ a teaspoon of cayenne which I find isn't too over powering. However, if you like your meals spicy then double this to 1 teaspoon The complete dish for this recipe includes yogurt at the end and so if you do find the chicken is too spicy, more yogurt can always be added.
This chicken pasta recipe comes in at just over 500kcal per portion and has low levels of sugar, salt and saturated fat. Its high in protein and provides a healthy boost of energy from carbohydrates. Each portion also contains 2 serving of vegetables and so provides a variety of vitamins and minerals. To give this meal an extra boost of nutrients and to ensure your carbohydrates are high in fibre and slow releasing, use wholegrain pasta. All pasta recipes will vary so always check the ingredients and labels.
Cajun chicken pasta can be frozen for up to 3 months. Make sure its cooled properly before transferring to a sealed container and then place in the freezer. Defrost thoroughly before reheating. Heat until piping hot throughout.
This dish will also store well in the fridge overnight and is great served up cold the following day as a pasta salad.
Other pasta recipes
- Italian Pasta Salad
- Salmon Pasta Recipe
- Homemade fresh pasta
- Pea Pasta
- Creamy Mushroom pasta
- Chicken Pesto Pasta
If you try this recipe you can let me know what you think by leaving a star rating in the recipe card or comment section below. I always appreciate your feedback! You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram. Sign up for my email list, too!
📖 Recipe
Cajun Chicken Pasta
Equipment
- Small mixing bowl
- large pan
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoon Paprika
- ½ teaspoon Smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon Cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon Oregano
- 500 g chicken breast cut into chunks 3 large breasts
- ½ tablespoon oil
- 5 Spring onions sliced 50g (save green tops for garnish - optional)
- 1 yellow bell pepper 125g (roughly chopped)
- 2 400 g tins of chopped tomatoes
- 300 g uncooked pasta
- 4 tablespoon plain yogurt
- 20 g freshly chopped parsley
Instructions
- Place cubed chicken breast into a large bowl and add paprika, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, oregano and a pinch of sea salt. Mix well to fully coat the chicken with the spices.½ tablespoon Paprika, ½ teaspoon Smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon Cayenne pepper, 500 g chicken breast cut into chunks, 1 teaspoon Oregano
- Heat ½ tablespoon oil in a large pan, when hot add the chicken to the pan then stir fry until golden brown. Then transfer the chicken to a bowl and set to one side.½ tablespoon oil
- In the same pan add a bit more oil then stir fry spring onion and yellow bell pepper for a couple of minutes or until slightly soft.5 Spring onions sliced, 1 yellow bell pepper
- Next add the stir fried chicken back to the pan and mix in, whilst continuing to cook.
- Add the tinned tomatoes and mix in.2 400 g tins of chopped tomatoes
- Add cooked pasta and mix well to fully coat in the sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes.300 g uncooked pasta
- Next remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool slightly before stirring in the yogurt.4 tablespoon plain yogurt
- To finish, top with parsley and serve.20 g freshly chopped parsley
Video
Nutrition
Notes
- For an extra special treat try making this dish with your own homemade fresh pasta.
- Small pastas such as shells and fusilli work best with this recipe.
- Don't add the yogurt whilst the pan is still on the heat as this will cause the yogurt to curdle.
This post was first published in May 2019. Updated in Oct 2021 with new step by step instructions and expert tips.
Leave a Reply