Name: Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Ingredients: 10 ounces penne pasta; 2 Tablespoons oil; 4 Tablespoons butter (divided); 2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (sliced); 3 Tablespoons flour; 2 teaspoons cajun seasoning; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon pepper; 1 sweet onion (sliced into half moons); 1 bell pepper (thinly sliced); 6 ounces mushrooms (finely chopped); 2 cloves garlic (minced); 3/4 cup chicken broth; 1/2 cup whipping cream; 1/2 cup baby spinach (finely chopped)

Here’s the thing about having four kids.

Your odds of making a dinner that EVERYONE likes?

Low to zero.

We eat dinner as a family virtually every night.

And virtually every night, at least one – and usually two – of our children have what we lovely refer to as “second dinner” while Bart does the dishes.

A banana, half an apple, a hard-boiled egg, a slice of bread or a string cheese.

Any night we DON’T have second dinner feels like the biggest mom win of all time.

This cajun chicken pasta? Was a night that required no second dinner.

Let’s just go right ahead and put this recipe on my list of favorite meals ever.

Also, yes, this cajun chicken pasta recipe has mushrooms in it, but if you hate them, feel free to leave them out.

I toss them in the food processor or my BlendTec and pulse them until they’re diced into tiny pieces and my girls didn’t even notice them.

Not ONE SINGLE CHILD commented on them at all – they just gobbled them right up.

Mom win for sure.

5 from 1 vote

Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta

This creamy cajun chicken pasta recipe is pretty simple to whip together and the whole family loves it!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

10 ounces penne pasta
2 Tablespoons oil
4 Tablespoons butter divided
2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts sliced
3 Tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 sweet onion sliced into half moons
1 bell pepper thinly sliced
6 ounces mushrooms finely chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup baby spinach finely chopped

Instructions

Bring a pot of water to boil over high heat and cook the penne pasta according to the direction on the box. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a dutch oven or large pot, heat the oil and 2 tablespoons of butter over medium high heat.
Toss the sliced chicken with the flour, cajun seasoning, salt and pepper in a bowl until well coated. Add the chicken to the oil and butter and let cook 1-2 minutes until browned and then flip it and let it cook on the other side for another 1-2 minutes. It doesn't need to be cooked all the way through.
Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.
Add another tablespoon of butter to the pot, reduce the heat to medium and add the onions and bell peppers along with a pinch of salt. Cook. Stirring frequently until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms, and garlic and let cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
Add the chicken broth and stir, scraping the bottom of the pot. Bring to a simmer and let cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the pasta, the chicken, and the cream and let cook until the chicken is cooked completely through. Season to taste and sprinkle the spinach on top. Serve immediately.