Cajun Pasta with Chicken and Sausage

This Cajun Pasta with Chicken and Sausage is bold, creamy, made in one pot and done in under an hour! 

Pasta is one of my favorite dishes to make because it’s so easy to prepare and comes together super quickly annndd it makes GREAT leftovers mmk! This pasta is creamy, rich, and packed with so many amazing spices. Perfect for an easy Monday night meal, but honestly great for any other night as well.  

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE

• It is super easy to whip up and can be made in under an hour.
• This recipe makes great leftovers.
• This recipe is versatile, meaning you can add a few additional ingredients to mix it up a bit like bacon, shrimp, different types of cheese or veggies.

QUICK TIP

• This pasta is usually best served fresh. The sauce tends to separate and become oily due to the fat content in the heavy cream. This is especially true if you’re warming it up on high in a microwave. If you’re reheating the pasta, I recommend warming it up on a low heat. 

FAQs

WHAT DOES CAJUN SAUCE TASTE LIKE?

Cajun seasoning is a bold, spicy mix of herbs and spices. The heat mainly comes from the cayenne pepper and paprika. I feel like this Cajun sauce pairs perfectly with pretty much any protein. And is especially good with shrimp.

HOW DO I MAKE THIS PASTA LESS SPICY?

If you’re not a huge fan of a little heat and you want a less spicy blend of cajun seasoning, then you can reduce the amount of Cajun and Cayenne Seasoning in this recipe. That’s where the majority of the heat comes from, so if you don’t like heat at all you can omit it or just add a liitttle pinch. I honestly didn’t add as much heat to begin with because I am not super crazy about spicy things. 

HOW DO I STORE THIS CAJUN CHICKEN AND SAUSAGE PASTA?

• To store this pasta, place the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3ish days.
• To reheat, place the leftovers in a pot on the stove and heat until it is hot all the way through, continue stirring the pasts to make sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom and burn and so that the pasta isn’t cold in the center. You may even want to add a couple of splashes of cream to loosen up the sauce a bit as it tends to thicken as it cools.

WHAT TYPE OF SAUSAGE SHOULD I BUY?

• The traditional Cajun sausage is the andouille sausage and it’s perfect for this Pasta recipe. It’s a spicy red sausage, loaded with flavor and seasoning. However, I have a toddler who also eats what we eat so I tend to shy away from super spicy foods. So for this particular recipe I used turkey Sausage and cut back on the “heat” just a bit. So feel free to use what you’d like!

MORE PASTA RECIPES!

• Cajun Shrimp Pasta
• Pasta Alla Vodka with Bacon
• Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta 
• Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta with Sausage
• One-Pot Philly Cheesesteak Pasta
• Marsala Pasta with Italian Sausage

Questions about this Cajun Pasta with Chicken and Sausage? Did you make this recipe? Let me know in the comments below! Tag me #chefelizabethreese on Instagram, I’d love to see your creations

Cajun Pasta with Chicken and Sausage

This Cajun Pasta with Chicken and Sausage is bold, creamy, made in one pot and done in under an hour!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

• 1 Box Rigatoni Noodles
• 5-6 Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs, cut into small chunks
• 1 Pack Smoked Turkey Sausage, sliced
• ½ Tablespoon Garlic Powder
• 1 Tablespoon Cajun Seasoning
• ¼ Teaspoon Cayenne Seasoning
• ½ Tablespoon Smoked Paprika
• Salt, as needed
• 1 Tablespoon Creole Seasoning
• 3-4 Tablespoons Canola Oil
• 1 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter
• ½ Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
• ½ Cup Monterey Jack Cheese
• 3 Cups Heavy Cream
• 3 Cloves Minced Garlic
• ½ Cup Diced Yellow Onion
• ½ Cup Diced Green Pepper
• ½ Cup Diced Red Pepper
• 1 15ounce Can Diced of Fire Roasted Tomatoes (don't drain)
• 2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
• 1 Cup Chicken Broth
• 1 Tablespoon All Purpose Flour
• Chopped Green Onion for garnish

Instructions

 

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add the pasta and cook according to package directions. Once finished, drain the pasta and return to the same pot it cooked in.
• Coat the chicken in canola oil and season with all of the spices. Set aside.
• In a large pan over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of canola oil and add sausage and cook until the sausage brown. Remove from the pan and keep warm.
• Add a little more canola oil if needed and 1 tablespoon of butter in the same pan and cook the chicken until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan, set aside and keep warm. 
• Add additional oil if necessary and add the onions and peppers and cook for 4-5 ish minutes until the peppers are tender and the onions are translucent. 
• Add in the tomato paste, mix well then sprinkle in the flour and stir until incorporated. Pour in the can on fire roasted tomatoes with the juice. 
• Pour in the chicken broth and reduce liquid just a bit until the sauce begins to thicken up. Add in heavy cream and slowly whisk until incorporated. 
• Turn the heat up just a bit and continue cooking until the sauce begins to thicken. Taste test and adjust the spices if needed. Then reduce the heat and stir in the parmesan and monterey jack cheese. 
• Add the cooked noodles, chicken and sausage to the pan, mix and top with freshly chopped green onion. Enjoy!