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This cajun chicken pasta recipe is super simple, keeps well in the fridge for a few days and is absolutely delicious too!
To help save time, and money, we have been batch making lunches for work days for a couple of months now. It is a really simple way to calorie count too, which is something I’ve been doing since the middle of 2021.
I love being able to open the fridge, grab my already portioned out lunch and just enjoy!
This particular recipe is lighter on calories as it contains a low-fat soft cheese.
Ingredients for cajun chicken pasta:
450g cajun chicken (I used my air fryer cajun chicken recipe made with my cajun seasoning blend)
225g fusilli pasta (uncooked weight)
1 white onion
1 yellow pepper
Splash of oil
100ml soft cheese (I used a low-fat version to make this lighter)
200ml chicken stock
Method for cajun chicken pasta:
If you’re making your cajun chicken from scratch then do this first.
Slice your cooked cajun chicken finely.
Cook your pasta according to the on packet recipe, reserving a splash of the pasta water when draining to thin your sauce slightly if needed.
Finely slice your onion and yellow pepper.
Cook the onion and yellow pepper for 4-5 minutes using a splash of oil (I use spray rapeseed oil) until almost cooked through.
Add the cooked pasta and sliced chicken to the pan.
Then add the soft cheese and stir through.
Stir through the chicken stock.
Cook over a gentle heat for 2-3 minutes, until bubbling lightly.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Add a splash of pasta water if needed to thin the sauce slightly.
Serve and enjoy!
Can you adapt this into a cajun chicken pasta bake?
Yes, definitely! Add 100ml extra of soft cheese and chicken stock to your mix, place in an ovenproof dish and top with cheese before baking for 15-20 minutes on 180C (360F). I love to use a mix of cheddar and parmesan for a super crispy golden top.
I’ve also added this chicken through an air fryer pasta bake and it is absolutely delicious!
Want to add some extra flavour?
Chorizo would be a great way to add some additional flavour (and protein) to this dish. Cook the chorizo before cooking the onion and yellow pepper and the oils it releases will give an extra hit of flavour and remove the need for oil.
Looking for a different seasoning blend?
Fajita seasoning or peri peri seasoning would work fantastic too! I love to make up a batch of air fryer peri peri chicken at the same time, so we have a bit of variety!
Can you use double cream? What about evaporated milk?
Yes! This recipe is a lighter version of cajun chicken pasta, and one that we love. If you want your dish to be a little creamier then you can use evaporated milk or double cream instead. The rest of the ingredients will be the same.
What to serve with cajun chicken pasta?
This is a great dish on it’s own, but if you want to add something extra then why not try a garlic bread made in the oven, an air fryer garlic bread or air fryer roasted tomatoes? Both are a delicious addition but anything slathered in garlic butter is a fantastic addition!
Want to change up the pasta type?
You could use whatever pasta you have in but I feel that fusilli, penne and linguine all work really well for this cajun chicken pasta. Anything with a little texture to soak up the light sauce is a great addition to this meal.
Can you freeze this dish?
You could freeze this, for at least a month, and defrost in the fridge for 24 hours before eating. As the chicken is already cooked you won’t want to re-heat this, so I’d advise enjoying it fresh, cold, from the fridge for up to 2 days after cooking, instead of freezing.
Why not check out some of my other recipes while you’re here?
- Bacon, mac and cheese pasta bake
- Slow cooker beef enchilada mix
- Mince pasta bake
- Slow cooker beef chilli or Ninja Foodi beef chilli
- Slow cooker beef stroganoff
How to make cajun chicken pasta:
Cajun chicken pasta recipe
A delicious light, creamy cajun chicken recipe that is simple to prepare and idea for meal planning.
Ingredients
- 450 g cajun chicken I used my air fryer cajun chicken recipe
- 225 g fusilli pasta uncooked weight
- 1 white onion
- 1 yellow pepper
- Splash of oil
- 100 ml soft cheese I used a low-fat version to make this lighter
- 200 ml chicken stock
Instructions
-
If you’re making your cajun chicken from scratch then do this first.
-
Slice your cooked cajun chicken finely.
-
Cook your pasta according to the on packet recipe, reserving a splash of the pasta water when draining to thin your sauce slightly if needed.
-
Finely slice your onion and yellow pepper.
-
Cook the onion and yellow pepper for 4-5 minutes using a splash of oil (I use spray rapeseed oil) until almost cooked through.
-
Add the cooked pasta and sliced chicken to the pan.
-
Then add the soft cheese and stir through.
-
Stir through the chicken stock.
-
Cook over a gentle heat for 2-3 minutes, until bubbling lightly.
-
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
-
Add a splash of pasta water if needed to thin the sauce slightly.
-
Serve and enjoy!
Note: All calorie information is for demonstration purposes only and is based on the specific uncooked ingredients that I used when creating the recipe.
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