Cajun Garlic Parmesan Chicken Penne
Ingredients
Method
- Cook the penne in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente according to the package directions. Drain the pasta and set it aside.
- Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels, then rub the Cajun seasoning all over both sides.
- Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 4 to 5 minutes per side, until browned and cooked through to 165°F. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest.
- Melt the butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the heavy cream, salt, and black pepper.
- Bring the sauce to a gentle boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer for a few minutes until slightly thickened. Stir in the grated Parmesan until smooth.
- Add the cooked penne to the skillet and toss until every piece is coated in the creamy Cajun sauce.
- Slice the rested chicken into strips and arrange them over the pasta. Garnish with fresh parsley and extra grated Parmesan before serving.
Nutrition
Notes
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Let us know how it was!Why This Cajun Garlic Parmesan Chicken Penne Works
You know that creamy Cajun pasta you order at restaurants? The one with the velvety sauce that clings to every tube, and chicken with that perfect smoky crust? Here’s the thing. You can make this cajun garlic parmesan chicken penne at home in one skillet, in about 35 minutes, on a random Tuesday.
School starts in a week here in LA, which means I’m already bracing for the homework-and-practice gauntlet. This one’s fast enough to survive it. And since it’s August and my kitchen is already 90 degrees by dinnertime, the one-skillet setup means less stove time and way less heat. That alone is a win.
The sauce is rich, garlicky, and loaded with Parmesan. The chicken gets a proper smoky Cajun crust. The penne catches every bit of that garlic parmesan cream sauce in its little tubes. It’s the kind of skillet chicken dinner that makes you feel like you ordered in, except you made it. That shift from restaurant craving to home pride is the whole magic of this dish.
And trust me on this: your kitchen should smell like a Cajun restaurant within a minute of the garlic hitting the butter. If it doesn’t, your seasoning is old. Get a fresh jar. It makes all the difference.
Ingredients for Cajun Garlic Parmesan Chicken Penne
The ingredient list is refreshingly short. No twenty-item shopping trip, no obscure pantry stuff. The full measurements are in the recipe card above, but let me talk about the heavy hitters.
– Cajun seasoning. This is the soul of the dish. A good store-bought blend works great, but you can also whip up a homemade cajun seasoning with paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, and thyme. Just know that some brands are salt-heavy, so taste before you add extra salt.
– Heavy cream. Non-negotiable for that luxurious texture. Half-and-half makes a lighter version, but the sauce will be thinner and less creamy. Your call, depending on how decadent you’re feeling.
– Freshly grated Parmesan. Please don’t reach for the pre-grated stuff. It has anti-caking agents that can turn your beautiful sauce grainy. I’m not being fancy here, I’ve just made this mistake and it’s heartbreaking.
– Chicken fillets and penne. Thin-sliced chicken cooks fast and even. And penne is my favorite shape because the sauce gets inside the tubes. But honestly, use whatever pasta you have. Penne is just my favorite.
The whole thing comes together with butter, garlic, cream, cheese, pasta, and chicken. Simple ingredients, big flavor. That’s what makes this cajun garlic parmesan chicken penne such a great one pot pasta dinner. No cream cheese needed, no flour roux, just a properly built cream sauce.
How to Make Cajun Garlic Parmesan Chicken Penne
The method has four stages. Nothing complicated, but a few details make the difference between good and “can we have this again?” good.
Stage 1: Get the pasta going and season the chicken
Start your salted water boiling first. While it comes up, pat the chicken dry with paper towels. This matters more than you’d think. Dry chicken takes the Cajun seasoning better and sears properly. Damp chicken steams, and nobody wants steamed chicken.
Rub the seasoning all over both sides. Use your hands. Get in there. The spice should look like a proper crust, not a polite dusting.
Stage 2: Sear the chicken until golden
Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the chicken. You want a satisfying sizzle. Cook 4 to 5 minutes per side until browned and cooked through to 165°F.
The crust should be deep reddish-brown and smell incredible. Let the chicken rest on a cutting board while you build the sauce. This keeps the juices locked in, so you get tender slices instead of dry, sad ones.
Stage 3: Build the garlic parmesan cream sauce
Melt butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and sautĂ© for 30 seconds, just until the kitchen starts smelling amazing. Don’t let the garlic brown too much, it turns bitter.
Pour in the heavy cream. Here’s the key: let it come to room temperature first. Cold cream hitting a hot pan can curdle the sauce. And keep the heat gentle, like warming a baby bottle. Bring it to a gentle boil, then lower the heat and simmer until slightly thickened.
Stir in the Parmesan until it melts into a smooth, glossy sauce. If it looks thin, give it another minute. The sauce will thicken off the heat too, no need to panic.
Stage 4: Toss the pasta and serve
Add the cooked penne to the skillet and toss until every piece is coated in that creamy sauce. Slice the rested chicken into strips and arrange it over the top. Garnish with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan.
Done. Dinner’s ready. And if your family is anything like mine, the pan will be scraped clean.
Tips for the Best Creamy Cajun Sauce
A few things I’ve learned the hard way so you don’t have to:
– ❌ Adding cold cream straight from the fridge → âś… Let the cream sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before pouring it in. Smooth sauce, every time.
– ❌ Using pre-grated Parmesan → âś… Grate it fresh from a block. It melts smoother and tastes better.
– ❌ Over-salting → âś… Your Cajun seasoning already has salt. Taste the sauce before adding the full amount.
– ❌ Cooking thick chicken without thinning it → âś… Slice the fillets horizontally into thin cutlets so they cook evenly.
– ❌ Overcooking the pasta → âś… Cook to al dente. It finishes cooking slightly when it hits the warm sauce.
– ❌ Not patting the chicken dry → âś… Dry chicken equals a better sear, which equals better flavor.
Want a punchier sauce? Add half a teaspoon to a full teaspoon of Cajun seasoning right after the garlic. And if your sauce is thinner than you’d like, whisk in a slurry of 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon cold water before adding the pasta. Problem solved.
Variations and Substitutions
This cajun garlic parmesan chicken penne is flexible, and honestly, that’s part of why I love it. Here’s how to make it yours:
– Swap chicken for shrimp. Sear seasoned shrimp for 2 to 3 minutes per side until pink and curled. Add them back at the very end so they stay tender.
– Go vegetarian. Skip the chicken or use mushrooms for a meaty bite.
– Add vegetables. A handful of spinach wilts right into the sauce. Mushrooms, broccoli, or asparagus all work great.
– Lighten it up. Half-and-half or light cream makes a thinner, lower-calorie sauce.
– Adjust the heat. Extra cayenne kicks it up a notch. A mild Cajun blend keeps it family-friendly.
– Change the pasta. Fettuccine, linguine, rotini, bow ties, elbow macaroni. They all work beautifully.
Once you’ve mastered cajun garlic parmesan chicken penne, you’ll realize it’s more of a template than a rigid recipe. A little of this, a little of that, and suddenly it’s your signature dish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Make-Ahead and Storage
School nights are chaos. I get it. Here’s how to get ahead with this one:
– Cook the chicken up to 1 day ahead, refrigerate it, then slice and rewarm it before finishing the dish.
– Leftover cajun garlic parmesan chicken penne keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
– Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of cream or milk to loosen the sauce. The microwave works too, but use 30-second intervals and stir between each.
– Don’t freeze this one. The cream sauce curdles when it thaws. I’ve made that mistake so you don’t have to.
Stir in a splash of reserved pasta water before refrigerating if the sauce seems too thick. Future you will be grateful.
What to Serve with Cajun Chicken Penne
This cajun garlic parmesan chicken penne is a full meal on its own, but if you want to round it out:
– A crusty baguette or sourdough to mop up every drop of that sauce.
– A crisp green salad with lemon vinaigrette to brighten things up.
– Garlic bread, because why not.
– Roasted asparagus or broccoli for a pop of green.
When you make this, and you will, come back and tell me how fast the pan got scraped clean. And if you’re looking for more weeknight pasta inspiration, come follow along on Pinterest. I’m always pinning new 30 minute dinners and one skillet meals over there.
That’s the whole plan. One skillet, one delicious cajun garlic parmesan chicken penne, one very happy dinner table. See you in the kitchen.
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