Pasta is always a safe bet when it comes to finding family-friendly dinner ideas. And when you add veggies and Cajun spices to the pot, you have a delicious dinner that everyone is sure to enjoy. On top of being packed with flavor, this one pot Cajun chicken pasta is also super simple to make. Prep the ingredients ahead of time and store them in your freezer until you’re ready to start cooking. After that, all you have to do is heat up the pasta on the stovetop to get dinner on the table in a flash.
I think my favorite culinary discovery of last year was one pot freezer meals. Pasta is always a comfort food for me, so being able to make these dishes ahead and then cooking them up including the pasta all in one pot is awesome. One pot equals less dishes. And that’s always a win for me!
Of all the one pot freezer meals we made this year, this cajun chicken pasta one topped my list of bests.
One Pot Cajun Chicken Pasta Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
- 1 purple onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 19 ounces diced tomatoes with spicy red pepper
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon parsley
- salt and pepper
For Day of Cooking:
- 4 cups penne pasta
Assembly Instructions:
- Combine the cooked chicken with the Cajun seasoning, bell peppers, onion, garlic, chicken broth, tomatoes, heavy cream, cream cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper in a large freezer bag. Squeeze the ingredients together to mix.
- Remove excess air from the bag and seal to close the bag. Freeze the ingredients until you’re ready to prepare the pasta.
Cooking instructions:
- Transfer the pasta ingredients to the refrigerator to thaw overnight.
- Pour the contents of the bag into a large skillet. Bring the liquid to a boil, then add the penne pasta. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the pasta is tender, which should take around 15 minutes.
- Top with parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes before serving.
How Do You Store Cajun Chicken Pasta?
After everyone is finished eating dinner, you might have a few leftovers on your hands. Transfer the pasta to an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to enjoy it again. The pasta will stay good for up to four days.
To reheat your dinner, cook it in the microwave or transfer the pasta to a skillet and cook over low heat until the ingredients are cooked through.
What’s in Cajun Seasoning?
Using storebought Cajun seasoning is the easiest way to prep this meal. But if you’ve never used this type of seasoning before, you may be wondering what flavors to expect when you eat your dinner.
Most Cajun seasoning varieties feature a combination of spices and seasonings, including:
- Paprika
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Oregano
- Cayenne pepper
- Red pepper flakes
- Black pepper
- Salt
See how to put together homemade Cajun seasoning in the video below:
Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta Recipe Ideas
Since you can whip up this spicy pasta dinner in a single pot, it’s a great option for a busy weeknight. That means you’re going to want to add it to your dinner rotation right away! And with these recipe ideas, you can adjust the ingredients to create the perfect one-pot meal for your family tonight.
- Add some sausage. Mixing sausage into your pasta is a great way to add even more Cajun flavor. Slice some smoked sausage and add it to the bag with the rest of your ingredients before freezing to add some spice and flavor to your dinner.
- Mix in some bacon. Another simple way to take the flavor of your pasta up a notch is with the help of cooked bacon. After cooking your bacon, chop it into small pieces and stir the meat into the bag with the rest of the pasta ingredients.
- Add more veggies. Make your pasta dinner even healthier by adding more vegetables to the dish. In addition to peppers and tomatoes, this Cajun pasta would taste amazing with other veggies, like corn, zucchini, mushrooms, carrots or spinach, added to the pot.
- Adjust the heat. Cajun season has plenty of spice in it already. But if you want to take the spiciness of your pasta to the next level, there are a few simple ways you can add more heat to the dish. The easiest way is to increase the amount of Cajun seasoning you add to the dish. Or mix in some cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to increase the spiciness.
- Try different types of pasta. Penne pasta is a great option for this one-pot meal because it’s quick and easy to cook. But you can use a variety of different pasta types with this recipe, including bowtie pasta, elbow macaroni, or fettucine. You can even swap the traditional pasta for whole wheat or gluten free varieties.
What to Serve with Cajun Chicken Pasta?
This recipe for Cajun chicken pasta is made with protein, veggies, and grains. That means it’s a full meal all on its own! But if you want to round out your dinner with some side dishes, try serving your pasta with one of these delicious ideas.
- Sliced French bread
- Garlic toast
- Dinner rolls
- Side salads
- Corn on the cob
- Steamed vegetables
- Cornbread
- 1 lb. chicken breasts boneless, skinless, cooked and cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1 1/2 Tbsp. Cajun seasoning
- 1 red bell pepper sliced
- 1 yellow bell pepper sliced
- 1 purple onion halved and thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 19 oz diced tomatoes with spicy red pepper
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 1 Tbsp. parsley
- salt and pepper
- 4 cups penne pasta uncooked
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Combine the cooked chicken with the Cajun seasoning, bell peppers, onion, garlic, chicken broth, tomatoes, heavy cream, cream cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper in a large freezer bag. Squish together.
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Remove excess air, seal, and freeze.
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Thaw.
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Pour the contents of the bag into a large skillet. Bring the liquid to a boil, then add the uncooked penne pasta. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the pasta is tender, which should take around 15 minutes.
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Top with parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes before serving if desired.
