Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta Recipe is filled with egg noodles, bell pepper, juicy tomatoes, red onion, creamy avocado, and loads of flavorful cajun-spiced baked chicken. Delicious served warm or cold, this creamy cajun chicken pasta is fantastic as an easy weeknight dinner or shared with friends at your next tailgating party.
The first time I remember ever eating Cajun food was when I was in college and living in downtown San Jose. My husband (then boyfriend) was off climbing mountains in Nepal for a month while I was left to entertain myself. In other words, commute to school and study all day long. One weekend while he was away my dad drove up from Los Angeles to visit me. Since this was before I knew anything about cooking, we went out to eat.
Knowing nothing about Cajun food, I decided we would go to the new Cajun restaurant that had just opened up down the road from my house. To keep a long story short…the food was good. At least from what I remember. However, I never went back, so perhaps that says the most of my first run-in with Cajun food.
Fortunately, since this time with my dad, I have enjoyed the flavors and spices of Cajun cuisine on countless other occasions and cajun seasoning is now my go-to for just about everything – even pasta! This creamy Cajun chicken pasta recipe may not be a “traditional” Cajun recipe, but the flavors work. Trust me.
What is Cajun Seasoning?
According to Wikipedia, Cajun cuisine is a style of cooking named after the French-speaking Acadian people who were deported by the British from Canada to the Acadiana region of Louisiana. Often considered rustic, Cajun food uses locally available ingredients with simple preparation.
Following this same idea, Cajun seasoning is made of a handful of spices and herbs that you, most likely, already have in your pantry. Nothing strange or mysterious, Cajun seasoning is typically bold, flavorful, and almost always has a kick of heat.
Ingredients in Cajun Seasoning
As I started writing this post I realized I have never made my own Cajun seasoning mix. You guys, this is crazy. Especially considering I know for a fact that I have every single spice needed to make my own. So stay tuned for a Cajun seasoning recipe because that will be coming your way asap.
In the meantime, I love Slap ya Mama brand. Typical ingredients in Cajun seasoning include-
- salt
- garlic powder
- paprika
- black pepper
- onion powder
- cayenne pepper
- red chili flakes
- Italian seasoning (often thyme and oregano)
Ingredients in this Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta Recipe
- Chicken
- Cajun seasoning
- Olive oil
- Paprika
- Egg noodles
- Tomatoes
- Red onion
- Bell pepper
- Jalapeño (optional)
- Green onions
- Cilantro
- Mayo
- Lime juice
- Soy sauce
- Rice vinegar
- Honey
- Garlic
- Avocado
PHEW! Ok, so I realize that is a long list. However, they are pretty simple ingredients and I’m going to guess that you have many of them already. You will also notice that this creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta is more of a pasta salad. This does not mean that you must it cold. In fact, the first time I ate this yummy Cajun chicken pasta was with warm noodles and warm chicken. That said, the creaminess comes from the mayonnaise rather than some other ingredient like cream, which is often found in creamy pasta dishes.
Why you’ll love this Cajun Pasta
- The flavor is out of this world amazing! No really, Cajun seasoning literally tastes great on everything.
- It’s super versatile (see below).
- It’s a great place for all the vegetables or no vegetables.
- This creamy Cajun chicken pasta makes an amazing and easy weeknight dinner…
- Or, the best ever addition to any potluck, picnic, or tailgating party.
- You can easily chop the vegetables and prepare the creamy cajun mayo ahead of time to save time in the kitchen.
- But, of course, my favorite reason? It’s super easy to meal prep.
Easy Modifications to this Cajun Chicken Pasta Recipe
I know for a fact that not all of you love tomatoes or eat chicken. While I could never live without tomatoes in my life, I can certainly appreciate that perhaps you want to eat this Cajun chicken pasta recipe, but not exactly as you see it.
- Make it meatless. You guys, this awesome pasta does not need chicken to survive. I like to add chicken only because I need more protein in my diet (sometimes) and chicken makes the whole family happy.
- Shrimp would be another great alternative. Have you had Cajun shrimp? It’s basically what Cajun seasoning was made for…except that it was made for crayfish. But that’s a detail I will save for a different day.
- If you are looking to skip the meat but still want more protein, I recommend adding a can or two of drained and rinsed chickpeas and make your very own vegetarian version of this Cajun chicken pasta.
- Add more veggies…or less. Pastas are a great way to add all the vegetables. This Cajun chicken pasta would taste great with peas, roasted cauliflower (try not to overcook), and broccoli. Corn, while not exactly a vegetable, would also be a sweet addition. Of course, if you dislike any of these vegetables, leave them out.
You can also make this dish Gluten-Free and Vegan.
- Gluten-Free– Swap out the egg noodles for noodles that you know is Gluten-free, for example, rice noodles. Keep in mind, however, that rice noodles tend to get mushy, faster, so leftovers of this pasta dish may not last as long. Also, instead of soy sauce, use the gluten-free alternative, tamari. And finally, if you purchase a pre-mixed Cajun seasoning from the market or online, double check the ingredients to make sure that it is gluten-free.
- Vegan– ditch the chicken first. Second, you’ll have to swap regular mayo for Vegenaise (which is actually pretty identical in taste to regular mayo). And finally, instead of honey use agave nectar. Easy peasy.
Don’t forget to check out these other delicious recipes
- Loaded Chicken Ranch Pasta Salad
- Cajun Shrimp Foil Packets (oven and grill)
- Chicken Potato Salad- Meal Prep
- Pork Green Chili Verde Meal Prep Bowls
- Spicy Peanut Soba Noodles
- Creamy Pea Salad with Bacon (+Video)
Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
For the Cajun Chicken
- 2 pounds chicken breast - pounded to equal thickness
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon cajun seasoning
- 2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
For the Creamy Cajun Pasta
- 16 oz extra wide egg noodles
- 6 roma tomatoes - seeds removed and chopped into chunks
- ½ small red onion - thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper - seeded and diced
- 1 green bell pepper - seeded and diced
- 1 jalapeño - seeded and diced (optional)
- ½ cup green onions - chopped
- ½ cup cilantro - chopped
- 1 cup low-fat mayonnaise
- 1 lime - juiced
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoon cajun seasoning - plus more to taste
- 3 cloves garlic - minced
- salt + pepper - to taste
- 2 avocado - peeled and sliced
Instructions
For the Cajun Chicken
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place chicken on the baking sheet in a single layer and drizzle with olive oil.
- In a small bowl mix together the Cajun seasoning, paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Rub both sides of each chicken breasts with the seasoning mix.
- Transfer baking sheet to the oven and bake for 10 minutes before flipping chicken and baking for an additional 10 minutes, or until internal temperature reads 165 degrees F. Remove from oven and allow the chicken to rest.
For the Creamy Cajun Pasta
- Heat a large pot of salted water over high heat. Once boiling, add the egg noodles. Boil the noodles, stirring occasionally, until noodles are cooked, but not soggy. Drain and rinse with cold water.
- As the noodles cook, toss the tomatoes, red onion, chopped bell pepper, japapeño, green onions, and cilantro in a large serving bowl. Set aside.
- In a separate, smaller bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lime juice, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, Cajun seasoning, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Transfer the creamy mayonnaise mixture and the drained noodles to the large bowl with the mixed vegetables and toss well to combine.
- Top with sliced Cajun spiced chicken and creamy avocado. Serve immediately or enjoy as leftovers for up to 3-4 days. Enjoy!
Nutritional Information
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)
Last Updated | 0 Comments