Cajun Chicken & Bacon Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce
Creamy Cajun Chicken & Bacon Pasta tossed in a rich sun-dried tomato parmesan cream sauce is the perfect easy weeknight dinner. Made with tender chicken thighs, penne, sautéed peppers and onions, and bold Cajun seasoning, this spicy, comforting pasta comes together fast and tastes like a restaurant-quality meal at home.
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs cut into ~1-inch pieces
- Bacon I used beef bacon, cooked and chopped
- Penne pasta 12–16 oz
- ½ onion diced
- ½ bell pepper diced
- 1-2 tablespoon garlic paste or minced garlic
- 2 cups heavy cream
- Parmesan finely grated (1–1½ cups, add to taste)
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ jar sun-dried tomatoes chopped (If oil-packed, drain and optionally use 1 tablespoon of the oil for extra flavor)
- 2 tablespoon butter
- Cajun seasoning 1 tablespoon for chicken, 2-3 teaspoon for cream sauce
- All-purpose seasoning to taste
- Black pepper
- ½–1 teaspoon smoked paprika optional
- ¼–½ teaspoon cayenne optional for extra heat
Instructions
- Season the chicken - Cut chicken into ~1-inch pieces. Season with: 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning, All-purpose seasoning (to taste), Black pepper, Garlic powder (optional).
- Cook the bacon - In a large skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp. Remove and chop. Leave 1–2 tablespoon drippings in the pan (discard extra if needed).
- Boil the pasta - Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it lightly (optional if your Cajun mix is salty). Cook penne until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain.
- Sauté onion & pepper In the same skillet, sauté onion and bell pepper until softened (3–5 minutes). Remove and set aside.
- Cook the chicken - Add chicken to the skillet (add a small drizzle of oil if needed). Cook until browned and cooked through (165°F internal), about 6–10 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- Start the sauce In a saucepan or the same skillet over medium-low heat, melt 2 tablespoon butter. Add garlic paste, sun-dried tomatoes, and tomato paste. Cook 2–3 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant and the tomato paste deepens slightly.
- Add cream + Cajun seasoning - Reduce heat to low. Stir in heavy cream. Add: 2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning, All-purpose seasoning (to taste), smoked paprika and/or cayenne). Bring to a gentle simmer (don’t boil).
- Melt in parmesan - Add parmesan ½ cup at a time, stirring until smooth before adding more. Keep heat low to avoid clumping. Taste the sauce—if you want it more Cajun-forward, add 1 more teaspoon Cajun seasoning (bringing sauce Cajun to 3 tsp).
- Combine everything - Add pasta to the sauce. Add chicken, sautéed onion/bell pepper, and bacon. Toss well. Add reserved pasta water ¼ cup at a time until the sauce is silky and coats the pasta perfectly.
- Final taste + serve Taste and adjust Cajun seasoning (if needed) and black pepper. Salt only if needed (often you won’t need any). Top with extra parmesan and cracked pepper.
Notes
- * If sauce is too thick: loosen with pasta water or a splash of cream.
- * If reheating: reheat gently and add a splash of cream/water to bring the sauce back to life.
- * Sun-dried tomatoes: oil-packed gives the best flavor; dry-packed should be soaked in hot water for ~10 minutes first.
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