Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta

This Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta is the perfect dinner recipe loaded with chicken, shrimp, and sausage, all tossed in a hearty, thick cheese-filled roux. It’s the perfect blend of spice, flavors, and delicious down-home cooking. 

Cajun Chicken Pasta is an easy-to-make one-pot pasta dish you can make in 40 minutes or less and is also simple, swift, and flavorsome. We all want to relax after a long day of spending time with our family during weekdays, and this dish is perfect for that. With simple ingredients like juicy chicken, fresh shrimp, and tender pasta tossed in a creamy cajun sauce, this great recipe is even better than the restaurant version. Want more copycat recipes? Try this Olive Garden Chicken Scampi or Olive Garden Chicken and Gnocchi!

What Is Cajun Chicken Pasta?

This is one of those meals that my family makes over and over again. It’s rich, creamy, and not for those trying to maintain a diet. Or perhaps, it’s one heck of a cheat meal, like a tortellini bake or bacon-wrapped meatloaf. 

This recipe for cajun pasta has a filling blend of spicy sausage, chicken, and shrimp, along with a roux and cheese sauce, similar to an alfredo (but with… cheese) to smooth it out. It’s a blend of flavors that works so well together we’ve been dishing it out for years.

And you will too. Wondering what to cook for your next big gathering? This is it.

This recipe has a long list of ingredients, and it isn’t exactly a 20-minute meal. But, after you do all the prep work, it comes together quickly, and the steps help the flavors to build upon one another, so turn on some good kitchen tunes and work through it. We promise it’s worth it.

What You Need to Make Cajun Chicken Pasta

• Butter – Always cook with unsalted butter.
• Shrimp – We used ‘medium’ shrimp, labeled 41/50.
• Olive Oil – Or other cooking oil.
• Chicken – Boneless skinless chicken breast or dark meat from chicken thighs if you prefer.
• Fettuccine
• Andouille Sausage – The pre-cooked kind.
• The holy trinity of Cajun Cooking – Onion, green bell pepper, and celery.
• Garlic
• Red Pepper Flakes, Cajun Seasoning – You can use remade cajun spice mix or make your own.
• Flour – To make the roux.
• Chicken Broth – Low sodium.
• Heavy Whipping Cream – No skimping on this recipe. The cream helps make a super creamy sauce.
• Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product – Cubed (a.k.a. Velveeta).
• Green Onions, Parmesan Cheese, and Parsley – For garnish.

How to Make This Cajun Chicken Pasta Recipe

First, cook the shrimp, chicken, and sausage.

Melt a tablespoon of butter and cook the shrimp until just pink on the outside. Remove the shrimp from the pan, cover, and set aside.

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In the Dutch oven, heat the oil, and brown the chicken on all sides. Remove the chicken from the pan, cover, and set aside.

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In the same Dutch oven, add the andouille and cook. Add it to the plate with the chicken, re-cover, and set aside.

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Then, boil the pasta.

Boil the pasta until just al dente according to the instructions on the pasta.

Next, make the Sauce.

Now the fun part! Your Dutch oven will have browned bits on the bottom, add the Holy Trinity (onion, pepper, and celery) and stir to combine. Let the veggies cook down until soft.

Sprinkle with the red pepper flakes, and then whisk in the Cajun seasoning and flour. Make sure to stir it so that it sticks to and coats the veggie mix.

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Once the flour has coated the veggies and cooked for one minute (you know on TV when people complain of ‘raw flour’, it’s because they didn’t allow it to cook in this minute fully), whisk in the chicken broth, a little at a time. While you slowly add the broth, be sure to whisk, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the Dutch Oven as you work, which is a pro trick to really adding a ton of flavor.

As you whisk, it should form a thick, almost paste-like texture, free of lumps. If you dump in the broth all at once, the roux won’t have a chance to work, and you will end up with lumps.

Boil the liquid for a minute, which allows everything to come together nicely.

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Now, you can add in the heavy cream and cheese. it should melt together smoothly, creating a crazy delicious sauce.

Finally, Toss it all together.

Add the chicken, sausage, and shrimp back to the Dutch oven and toss to coat. Mix in the green onions and parsley for added pops of freshness, and dish up! Serve with a little parmesan cheese on top.

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Expert Tips

• If your sauce isn’t as creamy as you’d like, save some pasta water from boiling the noodles and pour a little into the sauce. The starch from the pasta water helps to create an irresistibly creamy texture. 
• If you don’t like any of the proteins, chicken, shrimp, or sausage, you can substitute more of another. If not into chicken, add more shrimp and more sausage, and so on for other personal tastes. Just know adding extra andouille will add extra spice to the pasta.
• Both diced chicken breast and diced chicken thighs work great in this recipe. We go with chicken thighs, as we find the dark meat maintains a great texture and doesn’t dry out or get rubbery in the pasta.
• Andouille is a spicy Cajun sausage, kicked up with seasonings. To make this pasta milder, you can use mild sausage or substitute hot sausage if you can’t find andouille.
• Use Velveeta. Seriously, it makes this recipe. But, if you can’t use Velveeta, try a queso cheese dip (one found in the refrigerated deli section of your market is the best option). This isn’t a ‘macaroni and cheese,’ so adding in piles of shredded cheese is not recommended to maintain the creamy alfredo-like texture.

What to Serve With This Creamy Cajun Pasta Dish

This dish is pretty substantial on its own. Pair it with a light salad and a simple biscuit recipe or rosemary garlic bread to sop up the extra sauce. To add more veggies, try steamed green beans or broccoli as a side dish.

Leftovers and Reheating

• Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• To reheat, remove single portions and reheat in the microwave in 30-second blasts, adding a splash of milk if needed and stirring in between each burst until heated through.
• This meal can be made ahead of time and frozen in an aluminum pan. Cover with plastic wrap and a hearty layer of foil and store in the freezer for up to three months.
• To reheat, remove the plastic wrap and bake at 350 degrees F, covered with foil, until the sauce is bubbling, about 1 ½ hours.

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MORE CAJUN-INSPIRED RECIPES

This creamy pasta dish is the perfect way to unwind after a long week of busy weeknights. All you need are a few basic ingredients, and you can whip up a delicious meal the whole family will love! Grab your glass of wine and your chef’s hat, and get ready to make this flavorful dish! If you try this recipe, please rate the recipe card and leave a comment below to help out the next reader!