Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
A one-pot Cajun chicken pasta with penne, mushrooms, and red pepper in a light cream cheese sauce, giving five meal-prep servings.
By Jobri Fitness · Published September 2, 2026
- Servings
5
- Prep time
- 10 min
- Cook time
- 25 min
- Total time
- 35 min
Nutrition per serving
Per serving (one fifth of the recipe), calculated from the listed ingredient quantities
- Calories
- 602 kcal
- Protein
- 39.3 g
- Carbohydrates
- 83.5 g
- Fat
- 11.3 g
- Fiber
- 4.7 g
Ingredients
1 tbsp
13.5 g
olive oil
1
110 g
red onion (diced)
200 g
crimini mushrooms (sliced)
1
119 g
red bell pepper (thinly sliced)
500 g
chicken breast (cut into bite-size pieces)
1 tbsp
7.5 g
Cajun seasoning
1/2 tsp
3 g
salt
750 ml
chicken broth
500 g
penne (dry)
100 g
low-fat cream cheese
10 g
chives (chopped)
Equipment
- Large deep skillet with a lid
- Knife and cutting board
- Kitchen scale
- Measuring jug
- Food thermometer
Instructions
Prep the vegetables and chicken
Dice the onion, slice the mushrooms, and cut the red pepper into thin strips. Pat the chicken dry and cut it into bite-size pieces.
Soften the vegetables
Warm the olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, mushrooms, and bell pepper and saute for about five minutes until softened with a little color, then transfer them to a bowl.
Sear the chicken
Add the chicken to the same pan and cook for about five minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through to 74°C (165°F).
Combine and season
Return the vegetables to the pan, sprinkle in the Cajun seasoning and salt, and toss until everything is evenly coated.
Add the pasta and simmer
Pour in the chicken broth and stir in the dry penne, pressing the pasta down into the liquid. Bring it to a simmer, cover, and cook for about 12 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the pasta is al dente and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
Make it creamy
Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cream cheese until it melts into a sauce that coats the pasta and chicken.
Finish and serve
Taste and adjust the salt, then let the pan rest for a minute so the sauce thickens. Scatter the chives over the top and serve, or portion it into containers.
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Storage
Refrigerate in covered containers within two hours and use within three to four days. Add a splash of water before reheating, since the pasta keeps absorbing liquid as it sits.
Allergens
Contains wheat (penne) and milk (cream cheese), Check packaged ingredient labels for allergen and cross-contact information
Pasta at a glance
This makes five servings in 35 minutes. Each serving provides 602 calories, 39.3 g protein, 83.5 g carbohydrates, 11.3 g fat, and 4.7 g fiber, calculated from the listed ingredient quantities.
The pasta cooks in the broth rather than in a separate pot, so the starch it releases stays in the pan and thickens the sauce. That means one pan to wash, but it also means the liquid quantity matters more than usual.
Managing the liquid
Press the dry penne into the broth so it is covered before you put the lid on. Stir once or twice during the 12 minutes, since pasta that sits against the base will stick.
If the liquid is gone and the pasta is still firm, add hot broth or water 100 ml at a time and keep cooking. If the pasta is done and the pan is still wet, take the lid off and let it reduce for a minute or two before the cream cheese goes in. You want it saucy rather than soupy, because the sauce keeps thickening off the heat.
Seasoning and substitutions
A tablespoon of homemade Cajun seasoning works here. Blends vary a lot in salt and cayenne, so taste before adding the extra half teaspoon of salt at the end.
Low-fat cream cheese is what keeps the fat at 11 g per serving. Full-fat cream cheese makes a richer sauce and adds roughly 8 g of fat per serving. Chicken thigh works in place of breast, with about 5 g more fat and 3 g less protein per serving.
Serving and storage
This is built for meal prep and reheats better than most pasta because the sauce is loose enough to survive a second heating. Refrigerate leftovers within two hours and use them within three to four days. Add a splash of water before reheating, since the pasta keeps absorbing liquid in the fridge.
Cook chicken to a safe minimum internal temperature of 74°C (165°F).