Description
Cajun Chicken and Shrimp Pasta is a creamy Southern-inspired pasta dish made with Cajun-spiced chicken, tender shrimp, fettuccine pasta, and a rich Parmesan cream sauce packed with bold flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz fettuccine pasta
- 2 medium chicken breasts, sliced
- 12–16 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the fettuccine pasta until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, drain, and set aside.
- Season sliced chicken with 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning, paprika, and a pinch of salt.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook the chicken for 5–6 minutes until golden and fully cooked. Remove and set aside.
- Season shrimp with ½ tablespoon Cajun seasoning.
- Add a little olive oil to the skillet and cook shrimp for 1–2 minutes per side until pink and opaque. Remove and set aside with the chicken.
- Reduce heat to medium and melt butter in the same skillet.
- Add diced onion and cook for 3–4 minutes until soft.
- Stir in garlic and sliced red bell pepper and cook for another 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
- Pour in chicken broth and scrape up browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Add heavy cream and remaining Cajun seasoning and black pepper. Simmer gently for 4–5 minutes.
- Stir in grated Parmesan cheese until melted and smooth.
- If the sauce becomes too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water.
- Return chicken and shrimp to the skillet.
- Add cooked pasta and toss everything together so the sauce coats the noodles evenly.
- Cook together for 1–2 minutes, then garnish with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan before serving.
Notes
- Use freshly grated Parmesan for the smoothest sauce texture.
- Adjust Cajun seasoning depending on your spice preference.
- You can add vegetables like mushrooms, spinach, or zucchini for extra nutrition.
- Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat gently with a splash of milk or cream to restore the sauce.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Cajun / Southern Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 690
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 820mg
- Fat: 36g
- Saturated Fat: 16g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 52g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 42g
- Cholesterol: 180mg