Spicy Cajun Chicken Alfredo (Printable)

Spicy Cajun-seasoned chicken tossed with creamy Parmesan Alfredo sauce and fettuccine for a bold, comforting dinner.

# What You’ll 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, optional

→ Garnish

12 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
13 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese 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 remainder. 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, 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, whisking constantly, and bring to a gentle simmer without boiling.
05 - Stir in Parmesan cheese, black pepper, salt, and red pepper flakes if using. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until sauce reaches desired thickness. Add reserved pasta water one tablespoon at a time if sauce becomes too thick.
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 onto serving plates immediately. Garnish with chopped parsley and extra Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It satisfies two cravings at once: the bold, smoky kick of Cajun cooking and the indulgent richness of classic Alfredo.
  • The whole dish comes together in under 45 minutes, which means you can have restaurant-quality comfort food on a weeknight without the stress.
  • Leftovers actually taste better the next day once the spices have had time to settle into every creamy corner.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving pasta water, I learned this the hard way when my sauce seized up and turned into a clumpy mess instead of a silky coating.
  • Let the chicken rest after cooking or all those flavorful juices will run out onto your cutting board instead of staying inside the meat.
  • Keep the heat at medium when making the Alfredo, high heat will cause the cream to break and you'll end up with a grainy, separated sauce.
03 -
  • Use a cast iron skillet if you have one, it holds heat beautifully and gives the chicken an even, restaurant-quality sear.
  • Grate your own Parmesan from a block, the pre-shredded stuff has anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting smoothly into the sauce.
  • Taste the sauce before adding the pasta, it should be slightly over-seasoned on its own because the noodles will dilute the flavor.
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