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This creamy Cajun pasta is my ultimate weeknight dinner solution, bringing restaurant-quality flavor with minimal effort. The combination of tender chicken, perfectly cooked vegetables, and spicy cream sauce creates a satisfying meal that's both impressive and easy to prepare.
I created this recipe after trying to recreate my favorite dish from a local Cajun restaurant that closed. After several attempts, my family now requests this version more than the original!
Ingredients
- Farfalle pasta: Provides the perfect shape to hold the creamy sauce in every bite
- Chicken breast: Creates the protein foundation, sliced thinly ensures quick cooking
- Cajun seasoning: Adds authentic flavor, use a quality blend or make your own
- Bell peppers: Bring sweetness and color, orange ones are particularly vibrant
- Zucchini: Adds nutrition and absorbs the spicy flavors beautifully
- Jalapeños: Provide controllable heat, remove seeds for milder spice
- Half and half: Creates the creamy base without being too heavy
- Parmesan cheese: Adds nutty richness and helps thicken the sauce
- Green onions: Provide fresh flavor, divided between cooking and garnish
- Tomato paste: Concentrates umami flavor without watering down the sauce
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Season The Chicken:
- Thoroughly coat each chicken breast with Cajun seasoning, allowing it to rest at room temperature for 10-15 minutes, which helps the meat cook more evenly and absorb the spices. Be generous with the seasoning as it creates the foundation of flavor.
- Sear The Chicken:
- Heat your avocado oil in a large nonstick pan until shimmering but not smoking. Place seasoned chicken carefully in the hot pan and resist the urge to move it for 4-5 minutes, which allows a proper crust to form. Flip only once and cook until internal temperature reaches 165°F. The browned bits left in the pan are flavor gold.
- Sauté The Vegetables:
- Using the same pan with all those delicious chicken bits, add your sliced zucchini, bell peppers, and jalapeños. The moisture from the vegetables will help release the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, incorporating that flavor into your dish. Cook until vegetables are softened but still have some texture.
- Build The Flavor Base:
- Add tomatoes, green onions, and tomato paste with a pinch of salt. This creates the aromatic foundation of your sauce. The tomato paste needs to cook for several minutes to eliminate any raw flavor and develop sweetness. Start your pasta water boiling now to time everything perfectly.
- Create The Cream Sauce:
- Add minced garlic and crushed red pepper, cooking just until fragrant, about one minute — any longer and the garlic may burn. Reduce heat to prevent the half and half from curdling, then add it slowly, stirring constantly. Let the sauce gently simmer, not boil, until it coats the back of a spoon.
- Finish The Dish:
- Toss the al dente pasta directly into your sauce, adding reserved pasta water gradually, which contains starch that helps emulsify the sauce. Fold in the Parmesan cheese, stirring until completely melted. The pasta will continue absorbing flavor as you toss it, making each bite delicious.
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My absolute favorite part of this dish is how the creamy sauce clings to every ridge of the farfalle pasta. I discovered this recipe during a particularly busy work week and have made it almost weekly since. My daughter, who typically avoids spicy food, actually asks for seconds!
Perfect Pasta Tips
Always salt your pasta water generously — it should taste like seawater. This is your only chance to season the pasta itself and makes a huge difference in the final dish. The pasta absorbs this seasoned water as it cooks, creating flavor from within.
Make It Your Own
This recipe welcomes substitutions based on what you have available. Shrimp works beautifully in place of chicken – just add it later in the cooking process. For a vegetarian version, replace the chicken with mushrooms, which provide wonderful meaty texture.
Optional Variations
The vegetable combination can be adapted to seasons, using asparagus and peas in spring or butternut squash in fall. Just adjust cooking times accordingly for each vegetable to ensure proper texture in the final dish.
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This dish will quickly become a staple — it's an easy, versatile recipe that produces restaurant-quality results every time.
Frequently Asked Questions
- → Can I substitute the pasta shape in this dish?
Yes, you can substitute farfalle with other medium pasta shapes like penne, rotini, or fusilli. The key is choosing a shape that holds the creamy sauce well. Adjust cooking time according to package directions for your chosen pasta.
- → How can I adjust the spice level?
To reduce spiciness, use less jalapeño and crushed red pepper or omit them entirely. For extra heat, increase these ingredients or add a dash of hot sauce to the finished dish. The Cajun seasoning also contributes heat, so adjust accordingly.
- → Can I make this dish with a dairy-free alternative?
Yes, substitute the half-and-half with full-fat coconut milk or a quality dairy-free cream alternative. For the Parmesan, use nutritional yeast or a dairy-free Parmesan substitute to maintain the savory flavor profile.
- → What vegetables can I substitute if I don't have all the ones listed?
This dish works well with many vegetables. Try red or yellow bell peppers, spinach, broccoli, asparagus, mushrooms, or cherry tomatoes. The key is to adjust cooking times based on the vegetable's density—harder vegetables need more time than tender ones.
- → Can I prepare parts of this dish ahead of time?
Yes, you can pre-chop all vegetables and season the chicken in advance. You can even cook the chicken ahead of time and refrigerate. For best results with the sauce and pasta, those components should be prepared just before serving for optimal creaminess and texture.
- → What protein can I use instead of chicken?
Shrimp works excellently and cooks even faster than chicken. Other options include turkey cutlets, firm white fish, or for vegetarian versions, crispy tofu or chickpeas. Adjust cooking times accordingly for your protein of choice.