Here’s a delicious, restaurant-style Cajun Garlic Butter Chicken Penne in Creamy Parmesan Sauce you can make at home 🍝🔥🧄
Cajun Garlic Butter Chicken Penne in Creamy Parmesan Sauce
Ingredients (Serves 4)
For the Chicken:
- 2 large chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1–2 tsp Cajun seasoning (adjust to taste)
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp olive oil
For the Pasta & Sauce:
- 8 oz (225 g) penne pasta
- 3 tbsp butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ½–¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ tsp paprika (optional, for color)
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- Optional: red pepper flakes for extra heat
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Cook pasta
- Boil penne in salted water until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain.
- Cook chicken
- Season chicken pieces with Cajun seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Cook chicken 5–7 minutes until browned and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
- Make garlic butter sauce
- In the same skillet, melt butter over medium heat.
- Add garlic and sauté 30–60 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in chicken broth and cream, stirring to combine.
- Simmer 3–5 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Add cheese & combine
- Stir in Parmesan until melted and creamy.
- Add cooked chicken and pasta to the sauce. Toss to coat evenly.
- Add reserved pasta water a little at a time if the sauce needs thinning.
- Season & serve
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and optional red pepper flakes.
- Garnish with fresh parsley. Serve hot.
Tips
- Cajun seasoning: Make your own with paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, oregano, cayenne, salt, and black pepper.
- Extra creamy: Stir in a little cream cheese or mascarpone.
- Veggies: Add spinach, cherry tomatoes, or bell peppers for color and freshness.
- Make it lighter: Use half-and-half or milk instead of heavy cream.
If you want, I can give you a one-pan version that cooks the pasta directly in the sauce for faster cleanup and extra flavor.
Do you want me to do that?
