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Creamy Garlic Butter Cajun Chicken Bowtie Pasta

A rich and creamy pasta dish featuring Cajun-seasoned chicken and a garlic butter cream sauce that's perfect for a quick weeknight meal.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Cajun
Calories: 600
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Cajun Chicken
  • 1.25 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • to taste Salt & black pepper
For the Pasta and Sauce
  • 12 oz bowtie pasta (farfalle)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella (optional for extra creaminess)
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional, for spice)
  • 1/2 cup reserved pasta water (as needed for sauce consistency)
For Garnish
  • Fresh parsley for garnish
  • Extra Parmesan for garnish
  • A sprinkle of Cajun seasoning for garnish

Method
 

Cooking Pasta
  1. Boil bowtie pasta in salted water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, drain, and set aside.
Cooking Cajun Chicken
  1. Pat chicken dry and season with Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
  2. In a large skillet, heat olive oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add chicken strips and cook 3–4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
Making the Sauce
  1. In the same skillet, add a little extra butter if needed and sauté garlic until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
  2. Pour in chicken broth and heavy cream, stirring to combine.
  3. Add cream cheese and whisk until smooth.
  4. Stir in Parmesan and mozzarella until velvety and creamy. Add red pepper flakes for heat.
Combining Ingredients
  1. Add cooked bowtie pasta into the sauce and toss until coated.
  2. Return Cajun chicken to the skillet, folding it gently into the pasta.
  3. Use reserved pasta water to adjust sauce consistency if needed.
Serving
  1. Plate pasta with chicken strips on top.
  2. Sprinkle with fresh parsley, extra Parmesan, and a light dusting of Cajun seasoning.

Notes

Serve this pasta hot. Add a green salad or steamed vegetables on the side. Garlic bread or a warm baguette works well to soak up extra sauce. For a surf-and-turf twist, serve with buttery shrimp.