Cajun Chicken Alfredo (Printable)

Spicy Cajun-seasoned chicken tossed with silky Alfredo sauce and perfectly cooked pasta for an unforgettable Southern-Italian fusion meal.

# 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

→ Garnish

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

# How-To:

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 remaining water. Set aside.
02 - Pat chicken breasts dry and rub evenly with Cajun seasoning on all 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 and cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove from skillet, 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. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until sauce thickens. If sauce is 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 evenly distributed.
07 - Divide among serving plates and garnish immediately with chopped parsley and extra Parmesan cheese.

# Insider Tips:

01 -
  • It delivers restaurant-quality flavor in under an hour with ingredients you probably already have.
  • The creamy Alfredo tames the Cajun heat just enough to keep you coming back for another bite.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully and somehow taste even better the next day.
  • You can dial the spice up or down depending on who is at your table.
02 -
  • Do not skip reserving the pasta water—it contains starch that helps the sauce cling to the noodles and prevents it from getting too thick or gloppy.
  • Let the chicken rest after cooking or all the juices will run out onto your cutting board instead of staying inside the meat.
  • Add the Parmesan off the heat or while the sauce is just barely simmering, or it can turn grainy and separate.
  • If your Cajun seasoning is very salty, reduce the added salt in the Alfredo or it will be too much.
03 -
  • Use a meat thermometer to check the chicken instead of guessing—overcooked chicken will turn dry and chewy no matter how good your sauce is.
  • Grate your own Parmesan instead of buying pre-grated, which contains cellulose and won't melt as smoothly into the sauce.
  • If the sauce breaks or looks grainy, pull it off the heat immediately and whisk in a tablespoon of cold cream to bring it back together.
  • Toast the Cajun seasoning in the pan for 20 seconds before adding the chicken to deepen the flavor and release the oils in the spices.
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