Cajun Chicken Alfredo (Printable Version)

Spicy Cajun-seasoned chicken breast with creamy Alfredo sauce, fettuccine pasta, and fresh Parmesan. A bold Southern-Italian fusion ready in 40 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
03 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Pasta

04 - 12 ounces fettuccine or linguine pasta

→ Alfredo Sauce

05 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1.5 cups heavy cream
08 - 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
09 - 0.25 teaspoon ground black pepper
10 - 0.25 teaspoon salt
11 - 0.25 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional

→ Garnish

12 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
13 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese for serving

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add fettuccine and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 0.5 cup pasta water and drain the rest. Set aside.
02 - While pasta cooks, pat chicken breasts dry and rub evenly with Cajun seasoning.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts and cook for 5 to 6 minutes per side until golden and cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove from skillet, rest for 2 to 3 minutes, then slice into strips.
04 - In the same skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in heavy cream while whisking constantly and bring to a gentle simmer without boiling.
05 - Stir in Parmesan cheese, black pepper, salt, and red pepper flakes if using. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until sauce thickens. If sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water one tablespoon at a time.
06 - Add cooked pasta to the skillet and toss thoroughly to coat with Alfredo sauce. Add sliced Cajun chicken and toss again.
07 - Transfer to serving plates immediately and garnish with chopped parsley and extra Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It delivers bold, smoky spice balanced perfectly by velvety Parmesan cream that clings to every strand of pasta.
  • You get restaurant quality flavor in under 45 minutes with ingredients you probably already have.
  • The Cajun rub transforms simple chicken into something that tastes like it came off a Louisiana grill.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully and somehow taste even better the next day when the flavors marry overnight.
02 -
  • Do not skip reserving pasta water, it contains starch that helps the sauce cling and prevents it from breaking if it gets too thick.
  • Let the chicken rest after cooking or all those flavorful juices will run out onto your cutting board instead of staying in the meat.
  • Use freshly grated Parmesan, the pre shredded kind has anti caking agents that make your sauce grainy and sad.
  • Keep the heat at medium when making the sauce, high heat will cause the cream to split and turn greasy.
03 -
  • Slice the chicken against the grain so each piece stays tender and easy to chew.
  • Toast your Cajun seasoning in the dry skillet for 30 seconds before adding the chicken to wake up the spices and deepen their flavor.
  • If the sauce breaks, whisk in a tablespoon of cold butter off the heat and it will come back together like magic.
  • Use a pasta fork or tongs to toss the noodles, it keeps them from breaking and coats them more evenly than a spoon ever could.
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