Cajun chicken alfredo from scratch is creamy & spicy! Made with homemade cajun seasoning & linguini noodles, it’s perfect for dinner at home!
How did I not realize cajun chicken alfredo was a thing until this year?
I saw a recipe for cajun chicken pasta recently, and thought, “wow, that looks amazing but not that healthy”! Lots of heavy cream, tons of cheese, and a ton of salt, too! But it looked so good, so I decided to make my own with a healthier twist!
Cajun chicken alfredo is seriously so creamy, so delicious, and you can customize how spicy you want it. Plus, it comes together in about 30 minutes, so that’s a win!
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What does it taste like?
Cajun chicken alfredo tastes like a regular alfredo, with a spicy cajun twist! Season the chicken with the cajun seasoning while it cooks, then add more cajun seasoning to the pasta sauce for even more flavor! The cream cheese adds a really creamy texture to this pasta, too!
If you want to control how spicy this cajun pasta is, you can make your own salt-free cajun seasoning at home. Either increase or decrease the cayenne pepper in your cajun seasoning mix!
Ingredients
Chicken breasts – I use chicken breasts because of how lean they are! There are some other high-fat ingredients in this pasta recipe, so the leaner you can go with your protein, the healthier it will be! Make sure to butterfly the chicken breasts before you cook them, so they cook faster and more evenly.
Cajun seasoning – A mixture of several different spices, cajun seasoning is essential for cajun chicken alfredo pasta! The storebought stuff is a lot saltier than my homemade salt-free version, so keep that in mind if you’re watching your salt intake.
Avocado oil – My go-to heart healthy cooking oil, avocado oil has a really mild taste but a really high smoke point. Basically, you can heat this oil while you saute your chicken and it won’t smoke or burn.
Whole wheat noodles – I pretty much always use whole wheat pasta or some form of lentil or chickepea pasta for my recipes. Whole wheat noodles are higher in fiber than regular noodles, and have pretty much the same texture. If you’re looking for an even healthier version of this cajun pasta, use chickpea or lentil noodles.
Garlic – Such a staple in traditional alfredo sauce, garlic is just as important and essential in cajun chicken pasta!
Cream cheese – A higher fat ingredient that helps this pasta recipe become the creamy dinner it’s meant to be! Although cream cheese isn’t a health food, it really is needed in this recipe for all the rich creaminess. 4 oz, or about half the block of cream cheese is all you need.
2% Milk – I went back and forth on using either half n half or just plain milk in this pasta recipe, but ultimately the sauce gets really thick if you just use regular milk. Plus, 2% milk is much healthier than half n half or heavy cream!
Shredded parmesan cheese – The cheese is essential for this recipe, and adds some saltiness and cheesey texture to the alfredo sauce.
Roma tomatoes – Topping the cajun chicken pasta with fresh, diced tomatoes just adds such a pretty color and a fresh flavor to this otherwise pretty pale dish.
Fresh spinach – Spinach adds another pretty color to this pasta, while also giving it a nutritional boost!
Instructions
- Cook your pasta according to the package instructions. Set aside.
- Butterfly your chicken breasts by slicing them “hamburger style”. You will have 4 thin pieces of chicken breasts. ‘
- Coat both sides of all 4 pieces of chicken in 1 tablespoon cajun seasoning.
- Cook your chicken on both sides for about 4-5 minutes each side, to sear in the flavor and juices.
- Set aside the chicken to cool, then dice it up.
- Saute the garlic in more avocado oil, then add the cream cheese and milk. Break the cream cheese up as it melts, and whisk/stir until everything is combined.
- Stir in the parmesan cheese and remaining cajun seasoning. Stir to combine, until the cheese is melted and the sauce is thickened.
- Add the diced chicken and spinach and stir. Add in the cooked noodles, and toss until everything is combined and the pasta is coated in the sauce.
- Divide into 4 portions, and top with diced tomatoes and more parmesan cheese, if desired!
Tips & FAQ
It really depends on the cajun seasoning you use. If you’re wanting to use storebought seasoning, it usually comes in both mild and spicy, so keep that in mind. You can use less cajun seasoning if you want it to be less spicy. You also have the option of making your own salt-free cajun seasoning to use, and that way you have complete control of the spice level.
Chicken breasts work really well in this recipe because they’re fairly lean, cook evenly, and they’re easy to cut after they cook. 1 lb of chicken thighs would work just as well for this pasta recipe.
I used whole wheat linguini noodles for the cajun chicken pasta. However, linguini, fettucini, rotini, penne, spaghetti, bowtie, macaroni, and even shells would all work just fine in this recipe!
If your alfredo sauce is too runny, you can add more parmesan cheese or more cream cheese.
If that doesn’t do the trick, you can thicken it by mixing about a tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water until it dissolves. Then, add the cornstarch mixture to the sauce as you stir it. It will thicken it.
Store your cajun chicken pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can even freeze it for up to 3 months, and reheat it in the oven.
To reheat from the freezer, make sure to thaw it overnight. Bake it in an oven-safe dish at 350 degrees for about 35-45 minutes, until heated through and melty.
Some other great ingredient ideas for your cajun chicken alfredo:
– Mushrooms
– Broccoli
– Kale
– Bell peppers
– Onions
– Fresh Basil
Nutritional Info
Chicken breasts are the leanest type of chicken, and are really high in protein! You can’t go wrong with using chicken breasts in this pasta recipe.
Keeping the parmesan cheese to only 1/2 cup keeps the sodium level down, but still adds a nice cheesy flavor. With just about 4 oz of cream cheese, the two cheeses combine to make a flavorful sauce without all the added sodium.
Finish the pasta sauce by adding fresh spinach and topping with fresh tomatoes adds a fresh flavor and a nutritional boost to this recipe!
Total nutritional content per serving is:
- Calories: 572 calories
- Protein: 44 grams
- Sodium: 396 grams
- Carbohydrates: 49 grams
- Fiber: 8 grams
Pricing Info
This cajun chicken pasta costs about $6.03 for the entire batch, or roughly $1.51 per serving!
Sides
Here are some ideas to serve with your cajun chicken alfredo:
- Roasted frozen veggies
- Sauteed veggies such as asparagus, broccoli, or zucchini
- Garlic bread or a breadstick
- Caesar salad
- Garden salad
- Fruit salad or fresh fruit
Other healthy pasta recipes:
- 20-Minute Healthy Pumpkin Pasta
- One Pot Loaded Veggie Pasta
- Italian Baked Chicken Pasta (freezer meal)
- Healthy Baked Ziti
- Layered Beef Noodle Casserole
Tried this recipe? Please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the comments below! I would really appreciate your feedback!
Recipe
Cajun Chicken Alfredo
Ingredients
- 8 oz whole wheat linguini (or other pasta shape)
- 2 chicken breasts (about 1 lb)
- 2 tbsp avocado oil divided
- 2 tbsp cajun seasoning divided
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 ½ cups 2% milk
- 4 oz cream cheese
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 3 roma tomatoes diced
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
Instructions
- Cook your pasta according to the package instructions. Set aside.
- Butterfly your chicken breasts by slicing them "hamburger style". You will have 4 thin pieces of chicken breasts. Coat both sides of all 4 pieces of chicken in 1 tablespoon cajun seasoning.
- In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon avocado oil on medium heat. Cook the chicken breasts for 4-5 minutes on one side. Flip them over, and cook them for another 4-5 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Set aside the chicken to cool, then dice it up.
- In the same skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of avocado oil on medium heat. Add the garlic and saute for about 1 minute. Add the milk and cream cheese. Break the cream cheese up as it melts, and whisk/stir until everything is combined with no lumps.
- Stir in the parmesan cheese and remaining 1 tablespoon of cajun seasoning. Stir to combine, until the cheese is melted and the sauce is thickened, about 2 minutes.
- Add the diced chicken and spinach and stir. Add in the cooked noodles, and toss until everything is combined and the pasta is coated in the sauce.
- Divide into 4 portions, and top with diced tomatoes and more parmesan cheese, if desired!
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Cajun chicken alfredo is spicy, creamy, and cheesy. It’s a fun new way to have a pasta night with the whole family!
xoxo Megan
I loved this…… Was something new and i now have a wonderful new pasta meal 😁
That makes me so happy! I love making new pasta dishes, too!
This was really yummy 🙂
I’m so glad you tried it! It’s one of my favorites! 😊