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This Cajun Chicken Alfredo is a comforting pasta dish filled with flavorful seasoned chicken and pasta tossed in a rich and creamy, Cajun-spiced Alfredo sauce. So easy to make and a delicious alternative to classic Alfredo sauce.
I love all foods, but few things get me more excited than a bowl filled with creamy sauce-coated pasta. And when it comes to indulgent, creamy pasta dishes, this Cajun Chicken Alfredo is the BEST.
Zesty, bold, and a little spicy, it’s the perfect combo to really light up your tastebuds.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
Find the printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
- Bacon – The bacon adds a salty, smoky flavor. Feel free to swap out the bacon for spicy andouille sausage if desired.
- Pasta – Fettucchini is what I used, but any pasta shape will work. Cook the pasta until al dente, and then before draining, reserve 1-2 cups of the boiling pasta water.
- Chicken – In this recipe, I pounded chicken breasts to 1/2-inch thickness and seared them in a large skillet. Chicken thighs can be used instead.
- Seasoning for the chicken – I’ve seasoned the chicken with a combination of garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika. This seasoning blend is very similar to Cajun seasoning (missing are cayenne powder and dried oregano or dried thyme). Feel free to use Cajun seasoning for the chicken if that’s easier.
- Olive oil
- Butter – If salt content is a concern of yours, be sure to use unsalted butter.
- Fresh garlic – Finely minced.
- All-purpose flour – Combines with the butter to create a roux and thicken the sauce.
- Cajun seasoning – Use your favorite store-bought Cajun blend or make your own. Store-bought Cajun spice blends vary greatly in salt and heat, so seasoning accordingly. You may want to wait to add additional salt until you’ve had a chance to taste the sauce.
- Heavy cream – I love using heavy cream, but if it tastes and feels too rich, feel free to make this dish with half and half. Half and half is equal parts milk and heavy cream.
How to Make Cajun Chicken Alfredo
1. Fry the bacon: Add the bacon to a large skillet set over medium heat and cool until crisp and the fat rendered, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving about 2 tablespoons of rendered bacon grease in the pan.
2. Boil the pasta: As the bacon cooks, boil the pasta in a large pot of water according to package directions until al dente. Just before draining, carefully scoop out approximately 1-2 cups of the boiling pasta water and set aside. Drain the pasta and rinse with cool water to stop cooking.
3. Cook the chicken: Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then season both sides with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika. Set the same skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Once the skillet is hot, add the chicken and cook for approximately 4 minutes on each side. Note – Do not overcrowd the skillet. If necessary, cook the chicken breasts in two batches. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
4. Prepare the roux: Melt the butter in the same skillet set over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds, stirring continuously, then whisk in the flour, Cajun seasoning, and salt, and cook for about a minute or so, whisking the entire time.
5. Add the heavy cream: Still whisking, slowly pour in the heavy cream. Continue whisking until fully incorporated and the sauce reaches a gentle simmer (do not boil). Simmer for about 5 minutes or until thickened slightly.
6. Add the pasta and bacon: Gently combine the pasta and bacon with the sauce. Season with additional salt, if needed, and garnish with freshly sliced green onions, if desired.
Cajun Chicken Alfredo Sauce FAQs
Cream-based sauces that are thickened with roux will thicken no matter what, so it’s important, first and foremost, not to simmer for too long. But if you do find yourself with an overly thick sauce, don’t worry; it’s easy to fix. First, try stirring in a little chicken broth or milk until the desired consistency is reached. You can also stir in a little of the reserved pasta water (only do this if you plan to serve immediately, as the reserved pasta water contains starches from the pasta, which can actually make your sauce even thicker if it has time to cool down).
This Cajun chicken Alfredo has a nice kick but shouldn’t taste too spicy (unless you’re pretty sensitive to spicy food). If you have any concerns, cut the total amount of Cajun seasoning in half and add more to taste at the end of cooking.
Replacing the heavy cream with 2% milk or whole milk increases the risk that the sauce will curdle or separate, given its higher water content compared to heavy cream. I recommend using half-and-half if you’re hoping for a lighter sauce that still has tons of flavor.
Serving Ideas
My absolute favorite way to serve this Cajun chicken Alfredo recipe is with sweet cornbread and a light tomato salad.
Leftovers and Reheating
This recipe is best served immediately.
Transfer any leftovers to an airtight container and place them in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. Freezing is not recommended. If possible, store the sauce, chicken, and noodles separately.
Reheat any leftovers slowly and gently on the stovetop or in the microwave. The sauce likely thickened considerably, so plan to add a little chicken broth or water as it reheats.
More Creamy Pasta Recipes
- Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta
- Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta
- Creamy Penne Pasta Recipe
- Pasta with Bacon and Peas
- Shrimp Alfredo
Cajun Chicken Alfredo Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon, sliced
- 10 ounces fettuccine pasta
- 1 pound chicken breasts, (2-3 pieces), pounded to about 1/2-inch thickness with a meat mallet
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, fresh grated
- salt, to taste
Instructions
- Cook the bacon in a large skillet set over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Once cooked, remove the bacon from the skillet with a slotted spoon and set aside. Reserve approximately 2 tablespoons of rendered bacon grease in the pan.
- As the bacon cooks, boil the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Before draining, set aside two cups of boiling pasta water (you may or may not use it to thin the sauce later on) then drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
- Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels and then season both sides with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and paprika.
- Set the skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil (to the bacon grease). Once hot, add the chicken to the skillet and cook for about 4 minutes per side or until the internal temperature registers 165 ℉ as measured by a digital meat thermometer. Remove the chicken and set aside.
- Add the butter to the skillet and melt over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, or until fragrant, then whisk in the all-purpose flour and Cajun seasoning. Cook, whisking continuously for about 1 minute.
- While whisking, slowly add the heavy cream. Continue whisking until fully incorporated and the sauce starts to gently simmer – about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to prevent the sauce from boiling.
- Add the pasta, bacon, and grated parmesan cheese and gently toss to coat. Season with additional salt, to taste, and thin the sauce with a little chicken broth, milk, or reserved pasta water, if necessary.
- Serve immediately with sliced green onions if desired.
Notes
- Transfer any leftovers to an airtight container and place them in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. Freezing is not recommended. If possible, store the sauce, chicken, and noodles separately.
- Optional additions: Peas, cherry tomatoes, sundried tomatoes, bell pepper, or spinach.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
