Description
A restaurant-quality dish featuring golden-seared Cajun-spiced chicken coated in a garlic butter glaze, served with rich and creamy Parmesan penne pasta. This Cajun garlic butter chicken recipe offers a perfect blend of bold Cajun heat and comforting creaminess.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1.5 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 12 oz penne pasta
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Pat the chicken cubes dry with paper towels. In a bowl, toss the chicken with Cajun seasoning.
- Cook penne pasta according to package directions in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain, reserving about 1 cup of pasta water.
- While pasta cooks, heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the seasoned chicken to the skillet in a single layer. Cook for 5-7 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and cooked through. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet. Once melted, add minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
- Pour in the heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Whisk until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth and creamy.
- Add the cooked penne pasta and the cooked chicken to the skillet with the sauce. Toss to coat everything evenly. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water to reach desired consistency.
- Serve immediately, garnished with fresh parsley.
Notes
- For a spicier kick, add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the Cajun seasoning.
- Ensure your Parmesan cheese is freshly grated for the smoothest sauce.
- If you don’t have penne, other pasta shapes like fettuccine or rigatoni work well.
- This Cajun garlic butter chicken recipe is best enjoyed fresh.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Pan-Seared and Simmered
- Cuisine: American (Cajun-inspired)
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 750
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 45g
- Saturated Fat: 25g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 55g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 180mg