Cajun Chicken Alfredo (Printable Version)

Spiced chicken breast with creamy Alfredo sauce and fettuccine pasta. A flavorful fusion dish combining Southern and Italian cuisines.

# 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 1/2 cups heavy cream
08 - 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
09 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
10 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
11 - 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

→ 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 1/2 cup pasta water and drain the rest. Set aside.
02 - Pat chicken breasts dry and rub evenly with Cajun seasoning.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts and cook for 5-6 minutes per side until golden and cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove from skillet, let rest for 2-3 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 2-3 minutes until sauce thickens. Add reserved pasta water one tablespoon at a time if sauce becomes too thick.
06 - Add cooked pasta to the skillet and toss well to coat with Alfredo sauce. Add sliced Cajun chicken and toss again until evenly distributed.
07 - Divide onto serving plates immediately and garnish with chopped parsley and extra Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The Cajun spice cuts through the richness of the cream in a way that keeps you coming back for another bite instead of feeling heavy.
  • It looks fancy enough for company but comes together faster than ordering takeout.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully with just a splash of milk, which almost never happens with creamy pasta dishes.
  • You can dial the heat up or down without losing any of the flavor, so everyone at the table stays happy.
02 -
  • If you let the cream boil hard instead of simmer, it can break and turn grainy, so keep the heat gentle once you add it.
  • Resting the chicken before slicing makes a huge difference, the first time I skipped it all the juices ran out and the meat was dry.
  • Toss the pasta in the sauce instead of pouring sauce over plated pasta, it coats so much better that way.
03 -
  • Use a cast iron skillet if you have one, it holds heat beautifully and gives the chicken an even better crust.
  • Grate your own Parmesan right before you need it, the flavor is so much brighter and it melts into the sauce without clumping.
  • Taste the Cajun seasoning before you use it, some blends are saltier or hotter than others and you can always add more but you can't take it back.
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