Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta – 20-Minute Recipe
A creamy one‑pot pasta featuring Cajun‑spiced chicken, al dente rigatoni, and a rich garlic‑Parmesan sauce. The bold seasoning and silky sauce make it a satisfying weeknight dinner ready in under 20 minutes.
Recipe by Ben Chelin · Structured by ReelsMeals
From: Instagram(view original)
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Ingredients
No main ingredients listed.
Chicken
- 2 chicken breasts
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 1 cayenne pepper
Pasta & Sauce
- 8 oz rigatoni
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 shallot
- 7 garlic cloves
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp chicken bouillon powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup pasta water
- fresh parsley
Instructions
- 1Chicken: Pat the chicken breasts dry, then pound them to an even thickness. Brush both sides with 1 tbsp olive oil and season generously with paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, and optional cayenne pepper.
- 2Heat a large skillet over medium‑high heat, add 2 tbsp olive oil, and sear the seasoned chicken 3–4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and let rest.
- 3While the chicken rests, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the rigatoni until just shy of al dente, about 9 minutes. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
- 4In the same skillet used for the chicken, melt the butter over medium heat, scraping up any browned bits. Add the finely diced shallot and sauté for about 5 minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook an additional 1 minute.
- 5Reduce the heat to medium‑low and slowly whisk in the heavy cream. Stir in the chicken bouillon powder, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, and 1 tsp black pepper. Simmer the sauce for 2–3 minutes until it begins to thicken.
- 6Lower the heat and whisk in the freshly grated Parmesan cheese until the sauce is smooth and glossy.
- 7Add the cooked rigatoni to the sauce along with ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water. Toss over low heat for 1–2 minutes until the pasta is evenly coated and the sauce reaches a silky consistency. Add more pasta water if needed.
- 8Slice the rested chicken into strips, place on top of the pasta, and finish with extra grated Parmesan and chopped fresh parsley.
Helpful tips while cooking
AI-assisted notes grounded in this recipe's ingredients, timings, and method—not additional creator instructions.
Rest the chicken
Allow the seared chicken to rest before slicing.
Reserve pasta water
Save ½ cup of cooking water before draining to adjust sauce consistency later.
Simmer cream briefly
Whisk in the heavy cream and simmer 2–3 minutes before adding cheese.
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Frequently asked questions
- How long does it take to make Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta?
- About 20 minutes in total: 10 minutes of prep and 10 minutes of cooking.
- How many servings does this Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta recipe make?
- This recipe makes 4 servings as written; ingredient quantities on this page can be scaled.
- Where does this Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta recipe come from?
- It was shared by Ben Chelin on instagram.com. ReelsMeals structured the original post into this step-by-step card; the original is linked above.