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!
Hi, Has anyone found a good lactose free cream cheese to use in this recipe? Thank you!
This was a very nice recipe. My husband, not a big chicken fan, loved it! So happy that we have another night of good eating!
I make this with no mushrooms. A family fave!
not flavorful
Great recipes added some jalapeño for more flavor
This was delicious! I added a little more cream cheese which helped thicken the sauce.
Not a fan of mushrooms. I increased the peppers and left out the musrooms. I will definitely make this again.
Made it exactly and it was amazing !
Made a ton for my husband and I to take left overs for a couple of days and had AMAZING flavor! Will definitely make again!
OMG SO YUMMY!  Wish I doubled the recipe so we’d have leftovers. Will make this again soon. Thank you!
Turned out very watery, not a fan.Â
I must have done something wrong bc it turned out very watery. I will definitely try again and use more Cajun seasoning.
My tips: use cornstarch instead of flour. And don’t mix the cream cheese into the slurry (it ends up cooking too long and breaks) and instead finish it with the cream cheese melting in at the end.
We’re vegetarians, so I have been making this with double the vegetables and sauce and no chicken, and adding much more Cajun seasoning for our tastes.  I cannot believe how good it is!  I’ve made it a dozen times at least, and every time I check the ingredients as I’ve entered them on my calorie tracking app because I am convinced there is no way they can be so low!  This and Cajun beans and rice we eat at least weekly without ever getting tired of them.
I’m making this for a Mardi Gras dinner party and wondering if you have any suggestions for making ahead so I can enjoy my guests and not be in the kitchen.  I’ve made several times and love it!!!
Hi Karen,
Did you do this “make ahead?” I’m going to try to prep it tonight and bake it tomorrow. I’m using spaghetti squash in place of the linguini. I’m going to double the sauce but only use what the recipe calls for, but if it’s dry I can incorporate what’s needed tomorrow before the bake. I would love to hear how you made out.
Thanks!
Wendi
p.s. So fabulous you had a Mardi Gras dinner party, love it!
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Delicious! I added chopped spinach
I liked it, hubby did not.