Cajun Chicken Alfredo (Printable)

Spicy Cajun-seasoned chicken tossed with creamy Alfredo sauce and fettuccine pasta. A Southern-Italian fusion comfort dish ready in 40 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
03 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Pasta

04 - 12 oz 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

→ Garnish

12 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
13 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese for serving

# How-To Steps:

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 remaining water. 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. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until sauce thickens. Add reserved pasta water one tablespoon at a time if sauce is too thick.
06 - Add cooked pasta to the skillet and toss well to coat with Alfredo sauce. Add sliced Cajun chicken and toss again to combine.
07 - Serve immediately, garnished with chopped fresh parsley and extra Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It marries two completely different flavor worlds without either one losing its voice, creamy Italian comfort with smoky Cajun heat.
  • You can have it on the table in under an hour, yet it tastes like you labored over it all afternoon.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully and somehow taste even better the next day when the spices have fully settled into the sauce.
  • It's impressive enough for company but forgiving enough for a weeknight when you're low on patience.
02 -
  • Do not let the cream boil hard or it may break and turn grainy, a gentle simmer is all you need to thicken it properly.
  • Always reserve some pasta water before draining, that starchy liquid is the best way to loosen a too-thick sauce without diluting the flavor.
  • Let the chicken rest after cooking or all the juices will run out onto the cutting board instead of staying inside the meat.
  • Freshly grated Parmesan melts into the sauce seamlessly, pre-shredded cheese often clumps and refuses to blend smoothly.
03 -
  • Use a meat thermometer to check the chicken, guessing doneness by eye often leads to dry, overcooked meat or undercooked centers.
  • Grate your own Parmesan from a block, it melts infinitely better and tastes sharper and more complex than anything pre-packaged.
  • Don't skip the resting step for the chicken, those few minutes make the difference between juicy slices and a dry, disappointing bite.
  • If your sauce breaks or looks grainy, whisk in a tablespoon of cold butter off the heat to bring it back together.
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