Cajun Chicken Pasta is lightened up, made with chicken strips, bell peppers, red onion, mushrooms and scallions in a creamy light Cajun sauce.
Cajun Chicken Pasta
One of the easiest ways to lighten up a pasta dish is to add tons of protein and vegetables to your dish which keeps the portions large and the carbs low and this dish is a perfect example. Be sure to be generous with your Cajun spices, it should have plenty of kick so don’t be shy!
I took a knife skills class at Sur La Table this week with my girlfriend and of course I HAD to buy a new knife and cutting board there. I was so excited to put my new skills to work and cut my veggies like a pro with my new knife, a task I would normally dread.
This dish comes together rather quickly once all your vegetables are chopped.
How To Make Cajun Chicken Pasta
Cajun Chicken Pasta Tips and Variations
- You can make this with shrimp instead of chicken, or use a combination of both.
- Make this vegetarian by leaving the chicken out or replacing it with tofu and swap the chicken broth with vegetable broth.
- You can also make this gluten-free by using brown rice pasta and replacing the flour with 1 teaspoon of gluten-free flour.
More Pasta Recipe You May Enjoy:
- Pasta with Broccoli and Sausage
- Pasta with Chicken Sausage, Peppers and Escarole
- One Pot Spaghetti and Meat Sauce
- Penne with Brussels Sprouts Ragu
Cajun Chicken Pasta on the Lighter Side
Ingredients
- 8 ounces uncooked linguine
- 1 pound chicken breast strips
- 1-2 tsp Cajun seasoning, or to taste
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 medium yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
- 1/2 red onion, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium tomatoes, diced
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 1/3 cup skim milk
- 1 tbsp flour
- 3 tbsp light cream cheese
- fresh cracked pepper
- 2 scallions, chopped
- salt to taste
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Prep all your vegetables.
- In a small blender make a slurry by combining milk, flour and cream cheese. Set aside.
- Season chicken generously with Cajun seasoning, garlic powder and salt.
- Prepare pasta in salted water according to package directions.
- Heat a large heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; spray with cooking spray and add half of the chicken.
- Sauté 5 to 6 minutes or until done, set aside on a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken. Set aside.
- Add olive oil to the skillet and reduce to medium; add bell peppers, onions, and garlic to skillet, sauté 3-4 minutes.
- Add mushrooms and tomatoes and sauté 3-4 more minutes or until vegetables are tender.
- Season with 1/4 tsp salt, garlic powder and fresh cracked pepper to taste.
- Reduce heat to medium-low; add chicken broth and pour in slurry stirring about 2 minutes.
- Return chicken to skillet; adjust salt and Cajun seasoning to taste, cook another minute or two until hot, then add linguine; toss well to coat.
- Top with chopped scallions and enjoy!
