Cajun Chicken Alfredo (Printable)

Cajun-spiced chicken breast with creamy Alfredo sauce and pasta—a bold fusion of Southern heat and Italian comfort.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
03 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Pasta

04 - 12 ounces fettuccine or linguine pasta

→ Alfredo Sauce

05 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1.5 cups heavy cream
08 - 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
09 - 0.25 teaspoon ground black pepper
10 - 0.25 teaspoon salt
11 - 0.25 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional

→ Garnish

12 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
13 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese for serving

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add fettuccine and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 0.5 cup pasta water and drain the remainder. Set aside.
02 - While pasta cooks, pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels and rub evenly with Cajun seasoning on both sides.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts and cook for 5 to 6 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove from skillet and let rest for 2 to 3 minutes, then slice into strips.
04 - In the same skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in heavy cream while whisking constantly and bring to a gentle simmer without boiling.
05 - Stir in Parmesan cheese, black pepper, salt, and red pepper flakes if using. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until sauce thickens. If sauce becomes too thick, add reserved pasta water one tablespoon at a time to reach desired consistency.
06 - Add cooked pasta to the skillet and toss thoroughly to coat with Alfredo sauce. Add sliced Cajun chicken and toss again until well combined.
07 - Divide onto serving plates immediately. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and additional grated Parmesan cheese.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • It delivers restaurant-quality richness without requiring fancy techniques or hard-to-find ingredients.
  • The Cajun spice cuts through the cream in a way that keeps each bite interesting instead of heavy.
  • You can have it on the table in under an hour, even on a weeknight when you're running on fumes.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully with a splash of milk, which almost never happens with cream sauces.
02 -
  • If your sauce breaks and looks curdled, pull it off the heat and whisk in a tablespoon of cold cream to bring it back together.
  • Resting the chicken after cooking lets the juices redistribute, so when you slice it, the meat stays moist instead of leaking all over your cutting board.
  • Don't rinse the pasta after draining because that washes away the starch that helps the sauce cling to each noodle.
03 -
  • Let the butter foam and just start to brown before adding garlic for a deeper, nuttier flavor that elevates the whole sauce.
  • Slice the chicken against the grain after it rests so each piece stays tender and doesn't turn chewy when you bite into it.
  • If you're doubling the recipe, use two skillets instead of one massive pan so the chicken sears properly instead of steaming in its own juices.
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