Cajun Chicken Pasta on a white plate with a fork to the right side and garlic toast in the background on a wooden surface (with logo overlay)

Copycat Cajun Chicken Pasta from Chili’s

Cajun chicken over a bed of pasta with a creamy sauce is close to the delicious recipe at Chili’s restaurant that you can enjoy from home!

Jump to Recipe

One of Justin’s favorite chain restaurants is Chili’s, and he often gets the cajun chicken pasta meal. I’ve never tried it because I’m always afraid it’ll be too spicy for me since cajun food usually has a kick. So one day he suggested we try to make it at home so I can control how much seasoning is on everything.

Since I hadn’t ever eaten the meal before, I had no clue what was in it. I had to search online for other copycat recipes and make it our own from there. Even with the spices, I enjoyed this meal and will be making it again for sure. I don’t know if I’ll ever order it out since I can’t control the spiciness, but I’ll make my own.

I was pleasantly surprised at how creamy the sauce is. The name, Cajun Chicken Pasta, doesn’t really tell you anything about the sauce. I made this with half-and-half but may try it with heavy cream next time to give even more texture to the dish. Overall, though, this was delicious on the first try!

At Chili’s, you have a choice of sides. We decided that making some homemade Texas Toast would be a great side dish. I made it similar to THIS toast recipe, only I broiled the toast instead of baking it.

Cajun Chicken Pasta Step by Step

Ingredients

  • 8 oz penne pasta
  • 2 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)
  • 1 tbsp cajun seasoning
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 2 cups half-and-half
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 tomato (diced)
  • 1/3 cup parmesan cheese (shredded)
  • 1 tsp parsley

Preparation

Start by cooking the penne noodles as directed. Penne is the type of noodles that Chilis uses. I don’t cook with penne often, but it was necessary for this meal. In this dish, I really liked them!

Close up of noodles in water in a medium sauce pot over a gas stovetop

While the noodles are cooking, dry the chicken breasts off and coat them with your cajun seasoning. This is where you control how much kick the dish has. If you like a lot of spice and bold flavor, thoroughly coat the chicken. If you are like me and like it a bit lighter then just dust the chicken with seasoning. Heat one tablespoon of butter in a saute pan and cook the chicken until it is cooked through, flipping at least once. Remove the chicken from the pan and keep it covered.

3 chicken breasts frying in a cast iron skillet over a gas stovetop

Add two more tablespoons of butter to the pan and let it melt. Then add the half-and-half, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

Cream ingredients in the cast iron skillet over a gas stovetop

Whisk the sauce together then add about 1/3 cup of the parmesan cheese and heat until the cheese has fully melted and the sauce is bubbly.

Cream ingredients combined with cheese in the center in a cast iron skillet over a gas stovetop

Toss the cooked pasta noodles with the sauce along with the diced tomatoes.

Cooked pasta noodles and chopped red bell pepper added to the cast iron skillet with cream over a gas stovetop

Divide the pasta and tomatoes among the serving plates. Slice the chicken and add that to the top of the pasta then garnish with parmesan cheese, and parsley.

Cajun Chicken Pasta on a white plate with a fork to the right side and garlic toast in the background on a wooden surface (vertical)

Cajun Chicken Pasta Leftovers

Storage: The best way to store leftover cajun chicken pasta is in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Reheating: Reheat the pasta in a saucepan over medium heat until warmed through. If the sauce is dry, add a little bit more half-and-half or some chicken broth to thin it out.

Recipe

Originally Published On: February 21, 2018

Last Updated On: July 25, 2023

Cajun Chicken Pasta on a white plate with a fork to the right side and garlic toast in the background on a wooden surface

Cajun Chicken Pasta

Cajun chicken over a bed of pasta with a creamy sauce is close to the delicious recipe at Chili’s restaurant that you can enjoy from home!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course:
Main Dish
Cuisine:
American
Keyword:
cajun
|
chicken
|
copycat recipe
|
pasta
Servings: 4 servings
5 from 7 votes

Ingredients

  • 8 oz penne pasta
  • 2 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)
  • 1 tbsp cajun seasoning
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 2 cups half-and-half
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 tomato (diced)
  • 1/3 cup parmesan cheese (shredded)
  • 1 tsp parsley

Instructions

  • Cook penne noodles according to package
  • Dry chicken and cover with cajun seasoning (the more you use, the more kick the meal will have)
  • In a large saute pan, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat
  • Add the chicken and cook until it is done through, flipping at least once, then remove from the pan
  • Add remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan with the half-and-half, garlic powder, salt, and pepper
  • Whisk together then remove from heat and add the parmesan cheese, stirring until it’s melted
  • Toss the pasta and tomatoes with the sauce and place on serving plates
  • Cut the chicken into strips and place on pasta
  • Garnish with parmesan cheese and parsley
Click the buttons below to share and print this recipe
Pin Recipe Print Recipe
Nutrition Facts
Cajun Chicken Pasta
Amount Per Serving
Calories 617 Calories from Fat 252
% Daily Value*
Fat 28g43%
Saturated Fat 16g80%
Cholesterol 145mg48%
Sodium 396mg17%
Potassium 813mg23%
Carbohydrates 50g17%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 38g76%
Vitamin A 1885IU38%
Vitamin C 6.7mg8%
Calcium 253mg25%
Iron 1.7mg9%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutrition content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.

Other Copycat Recipes

More Cajun & Mardi Gras Recipes

44 thoughts on “Copycat Cajun Chicken Pasta from Chili’s”

  1. 5 stars
    This looks delicious! I think I’d like yours better than Chili’s because I feel the same way as you – I don’t like dishes that are too spicy. This would be a perfect dinner tonight!

  2. This looks delicious and creamy. I love going to a restaurant and try to recreate the dish and sometimes, I do it perfectly.

  3. Interesting what you would switch to full cream next time. There’s a few dishes I do half and half with but never thought about switch to full so that it would be even better. This sounds so good, I love having the ability to control the amount of spice in what I cook.

    1. I want to try the full cream next time, but the half and half still works really well. I just have always preferred thicker sauce on pasta so the full cream would add that extra thickness to it.

  4. This is my favorite dish on Chili’s menu – but I order it with shrimp instead because I’m a pescatarian. I haven’t ever attempted to make it, but it sure does look good. I’ll have to try it.

    1. We have a lot of fun trying to recreate a meal after having it at a restaurant. Sometimes it works, other times it doesn’t. But this one tastes very similar to the Chili’s meal.

  5. I’ve never been to Chilis, but I’m pretty sure that it’s a great restaurant!
    Also, I love chicken and pasta dishes that involve tomato, it’s a great combination. I

  6. 5 stars
    I too order this at Chili’s! I would love to try my hands on making this myself with your recipe as it looks so easy to make!

    1. You can easily adjust the spices in the recipe. I don’t like much spice and neither do my boys. My husband adds a bit on at the end so he still gets the extra kick of spice for himself.

  7. This looks mouthwatering. I may have to add this to my meal plan this week. I typically try to find a similar recipe too if I find something I like at a restaurant. It seems to be a quick and simple meal.

  8. I love a good copycat recipe! Its so fun being able to make something you really enjoy from a restaurant at home!

    1. You should give it a try! It isn’t too hard to make and comes out similar to the Chili’s meal according to my husband. I don’t eat it when we are out because it’s too spicy but I can control that at home.

  9. 5 stars
    I stumbled upon your site last year and have been going through and trying out your recipes. This turned out amazing! So delicious. I hope this website never disappears.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating