creamy Cajun chicken pasta
Creamy Cajun Chicken Fettuccine made with juicy spiced chicken, garlic, bell peppers, coconut cream and cheese. An easy, flavour-packed pasta dinner!
Some pasta recipes are perfect for a simple dinner, while others make the whole kitchen smell amazing. This Creamy Cajun Chicken Fettuccine is one of those recipes.
Tender chicken is seasoned with Cajun spices, cooked until golden, and sliced over creamy fettuccine pasta. The sauce is rich, garlicky, and full of flavour, with sweet red bell pepper and a little chili for just the right amount of heat.
The best part is the creamy Cajun sauce. I make it in the same pan used to cook the chicken, so all those delicious golden bits left in the pan add even more flavour. Garlic, onion, herbs, tomato puree, a little Marmite, coconut cream, and cheese wedges come together to make a smooth and creamy pasta sauce.
This Cajun Chicken Fettuccine recipe is easy to make, filling, and packed with flavour without requiring complicated ingredients. It is perfect for a quick weeknight dinner, a family meal, or whenever you are craving a comforting bowl of creamy chicken pasta.
And once the kitchen starts smelling this good, you can be sure someone will be asking, “Is it ready yet?”

Creamy, rich, and full of flavour
Juicy chicken coated in tasty Cajun seasoning
Easy to make for a weeknight dinner
Made with simple ingredients you can find easily
The creamy sauce comes together in one pan
Fettuccine holds the sauce perfectly
Slightly spicy, but you can adjust the heat
Great for a family meal or when you have guests over
The Secret to This Cajun Chicken Pasta
For me, the secret to a really good Cajun Chicken Pasta is not just adding Cajun seasoning to a cream sauce. I like to build the flavour little by little.I start by coating the chicken with my homemade Cajun seasoning and letting it sit for about 30 minutes. This gives the seasoning time to soak into the chicken and makes it much more flavourful.
Then I cook the chicken in a hot pan until it is golden and nicely cooked, and finish it with a little butter. Once the chicken is done, I take it out and set it aside.
But don’t wash the pan! Those little browned bits left at the bottom are packed with flavour, and they are perfect for the sauce.
I add the onion, red bell pepper and garlic straight into the same pan, then stir in the herbs, pasta water, Marmite and tomato puree. Once everything is cooked down, I add the coconut cream and cheese wedges. It all comes together into a smooth, creamy sauce that coats the fettuccine beautifully.
Finally, I slice the Cajun chicken and place it back on top.
And honestly, that is what I love about this Cajun Chicken Fettuccine. It looks and tastes like something you would order at a restaurant, but it is actually quite simple to make at home.
1. Make the Cajun Seasoning
Add the chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, thyme and black pepper powder to a small bowl.Mix everything together until evenly combined.
Set aside.
“This little bowl of spices is about to do a lot of work.”


2. Season the Chicken
Place 250 g chicken breast in a bowl.
Add:
- ½ tbsp olive oil
- 1½ tsp prepared Cajun seasoning
- A pinch of salt
- A pinch of chili flakes
Rub the seasoning well into the chicken, making sure both sides are covered.Cover the bowl and let the chicken marinate for 30 minutes.
This gives the seasoning time to add more flavour to the chicken.
“Thirty minutes of waiting means so much more flavour later.”


3.Cook the Fettuccine
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.Add the fettuccine and cook according to the package instructions until al dente.
The pasta should be cooked but still have a little bite when you chew it. It shouldn’t be hard in the middle or too soft and mushy.
Before draining, save ¼ cup of the pasta water and set it aside.
Drain the pasta.
Pro Tip
Not sure if the pasta is ready? Taste a strand. It’s the easiest way to check.
Don’t forget to save the pasta water before draining!

4. Cook the Cajun Chicken
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.
Add the marinated chicken to the hot pan.Cook for about 5–6 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness of the chicken.When the chicken is almost cooked and nicely browned, add 1 tbsp butter.
Let the butter melt and coat the chicken. Continue cooking until the chicken is golden and fully cooked.
Take the chicken out of the pan and let it rest for a few minutes before slicing. This helps keep the chicken juicy.
“Look at that golden crust and whatever you do, don’t clean this pan!”

5. Start the Sauce
Using the same pan, add 1 tbsp butter.Once the butter melts, add the minced garlic and cook for little time until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic, it can make the sauce taste bitter.
Add the chopped onion and cook until it starts to soften.Then add the cubed red bell pepper.
Mix everything well and cook for another minute.

6. Add the Cajun Flavours
Add:
- ½ tsp prepared Cajun seasoning
- ½ tsp oregano
- ½ tsp thyme
Mix everything well and cook for a short time until the spices smell fragrant.
“By now, your kitchen should be smelling so good.”


7. Add the Pasta Water
Pour in the reserved ¼ cup pasta water.Stir well, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen the browned bits from the chicken.These little bits are full of flavour and will make the sauce taste even better.

8. Add Marmite & Tomato Puree
Add 1 tsp Marmite and 2 tsp tomato puree.Mix thoroughly until the Marmite and tomato puree dissolve into the sauce.Cook for a short while until everything is well combined.
The tomato puree adds colour and flavour, while the Marmite adds a little extra savoury flavour to the sauce.


9. Make It Creamy
Pour in 1 cup coconut cream and gently stir and allow the sauce to come together.Add the 2 cheese wedges. Keep stirring until the cheese melts completely into the sauce and everything becomes smooth and creamy.
At this point, you should have a rich, fragrant sauce with a beautiful consistency.
### Pro Tip
After adding the coconut cream and cheese, don’t let the sauce boil too much. Keep the heat on medium and let everything melt together gently.


10. Add the Fettuccine
Add the cooked fettuccine directly into the creamy sauce.Use tongs to gently mix the pasta until every strand is mixed and covered with the sauce.
If the sauce feels too thick, add a small splash of pasta water and toss again.The pasta should look glossy and creamy rather than dry or overly thick.Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and black pepper.


11.Finish With Parsley
Sprinkle a generous amount of chopped fresh parsley over the pasta.Give everything one last gentle toss.
And that’s it! Your creamy Cajun fettuccine is ready to serve.

12. Slice & Serve the Chicken
Slice the rested Cajun chicken into pieces.Transfer the creamy fettuccine to a serving plate and top with the sliced chicken.Sprinkle with a little more fresh parsley.
Serve right away while the pasta is hot and the sauce is creamy.
And this is exactly why I never underestimate a simple bowl of pasta.”

🌶️ SPECIAL NOTICE — THIS RECIPE HAS A SPICY KICK**
The spice level of this Cajun chicken pasta depends on the chili powder and chili flakes you use. Some chili powders are much hotter than others.
If you’re making it for children or anyone who prefers mild food, use less chili powder and leave out the chili flakes. You can always add more spice later, but you can’t easily remove it.
Also, Marmite is quite salty, so taste the sauce before adding more salt.
Pro tips for the best Cajun chicken pasta
1. Don’t overcrowd the chicken pan
Give the chicken enough space to cook properly and get a nice golden crust. If your pan is small, cook the chicken in batches.
2. Let the chicken rest
Give the cooked chicken a few minutes to rest before slicing. This helps keep it juicy.
3. Save pasta water
This is simple but most useful tricks for creamy pasta sauces. The starchy water helps loosen and emulsify the sauce.
4. Don’t overcook the pasta
Remember that the pasta will cook a little more when you mix it with the hot sauce. Cooking it al dente first helps keep it from becoming too soft.
5. Don’t burn the garlic
Garlic should become fragrant and lightly cooked, not dark brown.
6. Use the same pan
The browned chicken bits left in the pan add incredible flavour to the sauce. That’s why I don’t recommend washing the pan between the chicken and sauce.
7. Taste before salting
Between the Cajun seasoning, pasta water, Marmite and cheese wedges, there are already several sources of salt. So remember not to add to much salt
8. Adjust the sauce consistency & Serve immediately
If it’s too thick, Add a splash of pasta water. If it’s too thin or watery , Let the sauce simmer gently for a little longer before adding the pasta.Creamy pasta naturally thickens as it sits. It is at its best when freshly tossed and served hot.

Creamy Cajun Chicken Fettuccine Pasta | Easy Cajun Chicken Pasta
Creamy Cajun Chicken Fettuccine is the perfect combination of spicy, creamy and savoury. Tender Cajun-seasoned chicken is cooked until beautifully golden, then served over fettuccine coated in a rich garlic, herb and coconut cream sauce. It’s comforting, flavourful and much easier to make than it looks!
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 2-3
Ingredients
For Cajun seasoning
- 1 ½ tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp oregano
- ½ tsp thyme
- ½ tsp black pepper powder
For the chicken
- 250g chicken breast
- ½ tbsp olive oil
- 1½ tsp Cajun seasoning
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of chili flakes
For the pasta
- 250g fettuccine
- Salt, for boiling
For the chicken to cook
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
For the creamy sauce
- 1 tbsp butter
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 small onion, diced
- ½ red bell pepper, cubed
- ½ tsp Cajun seasoning
- ½ tsp oregano
- ½ tsp thyme
- ¼ cup reserved pasta water
- 1 tsp Marmite
- 2 tsp tomato puree
- 1 cup coconut cream
- 2 cheese wedges
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Chopped parsley
Instructions
- Mix all Cajun seasoning ingredients together.
- Coat chicken with olive oil, 1½ tsp Cajun seasoning, salt and chili flakes. Marinate for 30 minutes.
- Boil salted water and cook fettuccine until al dente. Reserve ¼ cup pasta water before draining.
- Heat olive oil in a pan and cook chicken for 5–6 minutes per side. Add butter and cook until golden and completely cooked through. Remove and rest.
- In the same pan, melt butter. Sauté garlic, onion and red bell pepper.
- Add Cajun seasoning, oregano and thyme. Mix well.
- Add reserved pasta water, Marmite and tomato puree. Stir until combined.
- Add coconut cream and cheese wedges. Stir until smooth and creamy.
- Add cooked fettuccine and toss until well coated.
- Season with salt and black pepper. Add parsley.
- Slice the chicken and arrange over the pasta.
- Serve hot.
Notes
Tips & Tricks at a Glance
* 🌶️ Control the chili to suit your family.
* 🧂 Taste before adding extra salt.
* 🍝 Always save some pasta water.
* 🍗 Don’t overcook the chicken.
* 🧈 Finish the chicken with butter for extra flavour.
* 🧄 Keep the garlic from burning.
* 🍳 Use the same pan for the sauce.
* 🥥 Add coconut cream over moderate heat.
* 🧀 Stir until the cheese wedges completely melt.
* 🍝 Toss the pasta directly in the sauce.
* 🌿 Finish with fresh parsley.
* 🔥 Serve immediately for the creamiest texture.
Notes
1)Cooking time can vary depending on the thickness of the chicken breast and the pasta
2)Best served:Hot and freshly tossed.
3)Spice level : Medium, depending on the chili powder used.
4)Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container and consume promptly. Reheat gently with a splash of water or milk.
5)Beginner tip: Have all your sauce ingredients measured and ready before you start cooking. Once the chicken is cooked, the sauce comes together quickly.
- Prep Time: 30 mins marination + 10 mins preparation
- Cook Time: Approximately 20 mins

