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.
Creamy Cajun chicken pasta
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 also 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. Fresh and spicy all in the same mouthful and theres always the option to sprinkle over more paprika or add another dollop of yogurt, depending on taste. Family favourite?? – For sure!
For vegetarian alternatives that are just as creamy and just as healthy I like to make a big pot of pumpkin pasta with a deliciously creamy pasta sauce containing only pureed pumpkin, butterbeans, and onions (and no cream!!). Or a huge pan of pea pasta with a healthy pea pesto sauce. This is especially good with fresh peas in the summer!
For a fish option have a go of this healthy salmon and prawn linguine with spiralized courgette.
How do you make Cajun Chicken pasta? (Step-By-Step Guide)
- 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 1/2 tbsp 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. RECIPE TIP: Don’t add the yogurt whilst the pan is still on the heat as this will cause the yogurt to curdle.
- To finish, top with parsley and serve.
RECIPE SUGGESTION: For an extra special treat try making this dish with your own homemade fresh pasta.
What is Cajun chicken?
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.
Is this recipe spicy?
The level of spice depends on how much cayenne pepper is used. In this recipe I only use 1/2 a tsp of cayenne which I find isn’t too over powering. However, if you like your meals spicy then double this to 1 tsp. 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.
What do you eat with chicken pasta?
Chicken pasta is quite a filling dish and so in most cases you won’t need to serve it with anything else. However, if you are feeding a hungry crowd the pasta could be served with homemade bread rolls, garlic bread, avocado salad or fruit and nut salad.
Is chicken pasta healthy?
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.
Can you freeze this recipe?
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.
Serving suggestion: This dish will also store well in the fridge overnight and is great served up cold the following day as a pasta salad.
Cajun Chicken Pasta (+ Recipe Video)
Ingredients
- 1/2 tbsp Paprika
- 1/2 tsp Smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp Oregano
- 550 g chicken breast cut into chunks (3 large breasts)
- 1/2 tbsp oil
- 5 Spring onions sliced (50g) (save green tops for garnish - optional)
- 125 g yellow bell pepper roughly chopped
- 2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes
- 300 g uncooked pasta
- 4 tbsp Greek style yogurt
- 20 g freshly chopped parsley
Instructions
- Start by placing 300g dried pasta into a large pan, cover with water and cook for 8 minutes or until al dente. Once cooked, drain and rinse under cold water, then set to side for later.
- Place the cubed chicken breast into a large bowl and add 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, 1 tsp oregano and a pinch of salt. Mix well to fully coat the chicken with the spices
- Heat 1/2 tbsp 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 if needed then stir fry sliced spring onions and chopped 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.
- Next add the tinned tomatoes and stir in well
- Add the cooked pasta to the pan and mix well to fully coat in the sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook for a further 2-3 minutes
- Next remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool slightly before stirring in the yogurt.RECIPE TIP: Don't add the yogurt whilst the pan s still on the heat as this will cause the yogurt to curdle.
- To finish, top with parsley and serve.
