Cajun-Style Chicken Pasta
By Morgan BollingPublished on January 25, 2026
Time
50 minutes
Yield
4 to 6
Ingredients
1 pound linguine Table salt for cooking pasta1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed5 teaspoons Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning, divided3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided3 bell peppers (red, yellow, or orange), stemmed, seeded, and sliced thin3 scallions, white and green parts separated and sliced thin4 garlic cloves, minced¼ teaspoon dried thyme Pinch cayenne pepper 1 cup heavy cream ¾ cup chicken broth ½ cup canned crushed tomatoes 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (½ cup)2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 teaspoon hot sauce
Before You Begin
We like the flavor of Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning, which is available nationally, but feel free to use any Louisiana (Cajun or Creole) seasoning blend.
Instructions
- Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add 1 pound linguine and 1 tablespoon table salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain pasta and return it to pot.
- Meanwhile, sprinkle 1 pound chicken breasts, trimmed with 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning. Heat 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook until chicken is browned and registers 160 degrees, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to plate. Wipe skillet clean with paper towels.
- Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add 3 bell peppers, seeded and sliced thin and cook until softened and well browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add thinly sliced whites of 3 scallions, 4 minced garlic cloves, ¼ teaspoon dried thyme, pinch cayenne, and remaining 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in 1 cup heavy cream, ¾ cup chicken broth, and ½ cup canned crushed tomatoes and bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Cook until mixture is thickened, 4 to 6 minutes. Off heat, stir in ½ cup grated Parmesan, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, and 1 teaspoon hot sauce.
- Add sauce to pasta and place over low heat. Slice chicken crosswise into ¼-inch-thick strips. Stir chicken and any accumulated juices into pasta until well coated. Adjust consistency with reserved cooking water as needed. Transfer to serving platter, sprinkle with thinly sliced greens of 3 scallions, and serve.
Time
50 minutesYield
4 to 6Ingredients
1 pound linguine
Table salt for cooking pasta
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
5 teaspoons Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning, divided
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
3 bell peppers (red, yellow, or orange), stemmed, seeded, and sliced thin
3 scallions, white and green parts separated and sliced thin
4 garlic cloves, minced
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
Pinch cayenne pepper
1 cup heavy cream
¾ cup chicken broth
½ cup canned crushed tomatoes
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (½ cup)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon hot sauce
Ingredients
1 pound linguine
Table salt for cooking pasta
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
5 teaspoons Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning, divided
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
3 bell peppers (red, yellow, or orange), stemmed, seeded, and sliced thin
3 scallions, white and green parts separated and sliced thin
4 garlic cloves, minced
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
Pinch cayenne pepper
1 cup heavy cream
¾ cup chicken broth
½ cup canned crushed tomatoes
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (½ cup)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon hot sauce
Ingredients
1 pound linguine
Table salt for cooking pasta
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
5 teaspoons Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning, divided
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
3 bell peppers (red, yellow, or orange), stemmed, seeded, and sliced thin
3 scallions, white and green parts separated and sliced thin
4 garlic cloves, minced
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
Pinch cayenne pepper
1 cup heavy cream
¾ cup chicken broth
½ cup canned crushed tomatoes
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (½ cup)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon hot sauce
Why This Recipe Works
Inspired by a popular fast-casual dish, this recipe combines seared chicken and bell peppers in a creamy, lightly spicy sauce. We started by seasoning boneless, skinless chicken breasts with a generous amount of Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning before browning them in a skillet. We then browned bell peppers in the skillet before adding the remaining sauce ingredients. While a bit more Creole seasoning boosted the sauce’s heat, too much made it salty (store-bought blends often contain a lot of salt). Instead, we enhanced the Cajun seasoning with some cayenne pepper and dried thyme, typical components of most Cajun spice blends. A finishing touch of butter and Parmesan cheese gave the sauce a silky texture while a splash of hot sauce gave it just the right acidic kick. You can use any Louisiana (Cajun or Creole) seasoning blend here.
Before You Begin
We like the flavor of Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning, which is available nationally, but feel free to use any Louisiana (Cajun or Creole) seasoning blend.
Instructions
- Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add 1 pound linguine and 1 tablespoon table salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain pasta and return it to pot.
- Meanwhile, sprinkle 1 pound chicken breasts, trimmed with 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning. Heat 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook until chicken is browned and registers 160 degrees, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to plate. Wipe skillet clean with paper towels.
- Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add 3 bell peppers, seeded and sliced thin and cook until softened and well browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add thinly sliced whites of 3 scallions, 4 minced garlic cloves, ¼ teaspoon dried thyme, pinch cayenne, and remaining 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in 1 cup heavy cream, ¾ cup chicken broth, and ½ cup canned crushed tomatoes and bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Cook until mixture is thickened, 4 to 6 minutes. Off heat, stir in ½ cup grated Parmesan, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, and 1 teaspoon hot sauce.
- Add sauce to pasta and place over low heat. Slice chicken crosswise into ¼-inch-thick strips. Stir chicken and any accumulated juices into pasta until well coated. Adjust consistency with reserved cooking water as needed. Transfer to serving platter, sprinkle with thinly sliced greens of 3 scallions, and serve.
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