Creamy Cajun
Chicken Pasta
“I could eat this whole pan.” Chicken seared in butter and olive oil with garlic and shallots, Cajun seasoning, paprika, a pour of heavy cream, broccoli florets, and enough parmesan to make you say yas.
Sophia's Notes
- Everything except the pasta cooks in one pan. Butter in, garlic and shallots in, chicken in, cream in — it all builds together. Nothing gets set aside.
- Season in two moments — salt, pepper, and paprika on the chicken while it cooks, then Cajun and onion powder into the cream. That layering is the whole flavor.
- Save the pasta water before you drain. Every single time. One splash and the sauce goes from thick to silky.
- The steam-in-bag broccoli is intentional — it's already cooked, you're just tossing it in at the end. No extra pot, no extra time.
- Small shells are perfect because they cup the sauce, but any short pasta works. Use what you've got.
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 shallots, finely diced
- 2 lbs chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- salt, pepper, and paprika, to taste
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- Cajun seasoning, to taste
- onion powder, to taste
- ½ cup parmesan, freshly grated (plus more for serving)
- 1 lb small shell pasta (conchiglie)
- steam-in-bag broccoli florets, cooked
- reserved pasta water, as needed
Instructions
- 1
Cook the pasta, save the water
Boil the pasta in well-salted water until just al dente. Before you drain it, scoop out at least ½ cup of starchy pasta water and set it aside. You’ll need it.
- 2
Butter, olive oil, garlic, shallots
Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and shallots and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring, until fragrant and just softened.
- 3
Add the chicken
Add the chicken straight to the pan. Season with salt, pepper, and paprika. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and cooked all the way through, about 7–8 minutes. The chicken stays in the pan — you’re not setting it aside.
- 4
Pour in the cream, season it
Pour in the heavy whipping cream. Add Cajun seasoning and onion powder — be generous, then taste it. This is the moment to adjust. More Cajun, more salt, more pepper — make it yours. Stir and bring to a simmer.
- 5
Parmesan in
Stir in the parmesan until it melts into the sauce and everything is creamy and coats the chicken.
- 6
Pasta, broccoli, pasta water
Add the drained pasta and the steamed broccoli straight to the pan. Toss to coat everything in the sauce. Add a splash of reserved pasta water to loosen if it’s too thick.
- 7
More parmesan on top. Yas.
Serve immediately with another generous handful of parmesan on top.
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