This Crock Pot Cajun Chicken Pasta is creamy, cheesy, a little smoky, and packed with tender chicken. The slow cooker does most of the work, so you only need to cook the pasta near the end. It is rich and cozy, but you can easily turn the heat up or down.
Servings: 6
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 3½–4½ hours on LOW, plus about 12 minutes for the pasta
Total Time: About 4–5 hours
Why I Love This Recipe
I love recipes where dinner can quietly cook while I get other things done. This is one of those meals. Once the chicken, peppers, seasoning, broth, and cream cheese go into the slow cooker, there is very little work left.
The first time I worked on this style of Cajun pasta, I found that adding cooked pasta at the end made a big difference. Pasta cooked for hours in a slow cooker can get too soft. Cooking it separately keeps it tender, while the creamy slow-cooked sauce still gets into every little groove.
Here are a few more reasons I keep coming back to it:
- The chicken gets tender without needing to be browned first.
- Cajun seasoning gives the sauce lots of flavor with very little work.
- Cream cheese makes the sauce thick and creamy.
- Red bell pepper adds sweetness and color.
- Parmesan gives the finished sauce a salty, savory taste.
- You can make it mild or spicy.
- Leftovers reheat well with a splash of milk.
What You’ll Need
- 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- ½ medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, divided
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt, or less if your Cajun seasoning is salty
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 8 ounces cream cheese, cut into 8 cubes
- 12 ounces penne pasta
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Recipe and Instructions
Step 1: Add the Chicken and Vegetables
Place 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts in the bottom of a black oval crockpot. Add 1 thinly sliced red bell pepper, ½ medium diced onion, and 3 minced garlic cloves around and over the chicken.
Keep the chicken in a fairly even layer so it cooks at about the same rate.
Step 2: Season and Add the Broth
Sprinkle 1½ tablespoons of the Cajun seasoning, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper evenly over the chicken and vegetables.
Pour 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth around the chicken. Try not to wash all the seasoning off the top.
Step 3: Add the Cream Cheese and Slow Cook
Place 8 ounces cream cheese, cut into 8 cubes, over the seasoned chicken.
Cover and cook on LOW for 3½–4½ hours, until the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C). Slow cookers vary, so begin checking around 3½ hours.
Step 4: Cook the Pasta
Near the end of the slow-cooking time, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 12 ounces penne pasta and cook according to the package directions until al dente.
Drain the pasta well. Do not rinse it.
Step 5: Cut the Chicken and Finish the Sauce
Carefully remove the cooked chicken from the crockpot. Cut or shred it into bite-size pieces using two forks or a knife.
Stir ¾ cup heavy cream, 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and the remaining ½ tablespoon Cajun seasoning into the hot cream cheese, broth, red bell pepper, onion, and garlic in the crockpot. Stir until the cheese melts and the sauce becomes smooth.
Return all of the bite-size chicken to the sauce.
Step 6: Add the Pasta
Add all 12 ounces of cooked and drained penne to the crockpot. Gently stir until every piece of pasta and chicken is coated in the creamy Cajun sauce.
Cover and let it sit on LOW for about 5 minutes if needed so everything is hot.
Step 7: Garnish and Serve
Spoon the pasta into a wide round serving bowl. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley over the top.
Serve while it is warm and creamy.
Why This Recipe Works (Quick Science)
The slow cooker uses gentle heat and moisture to cook the chicken. Keeping the chicken breasts whole while they cook also helps prevent lots of small pieces from drying out.
Cream cheese adds fat and body to the sauce. Heavy cream makes it richer, while Parmesan melts into the warm liquid and adds flavor.
The pasta is cooked separately for a reason. Dry pasta can soak up a lot of liquid. If it stays in the crockpot for hours, it can become very soft and steal moisture from the sauce. Adding al dente pasta at the end gives you much better texture.
Freshly grated Parmesan also melts more smoothly than many bags of pre-shredded cheese because packaged cheese can contain powders that help keep the shreds separate.
Pro Tips
- Check your Cajun seasoning. Some brands contain lots of salt. If yours does, reduce or skip the extra ½ teaspoon salt.
- Do not overcook the chicken. Start checking it at 3½ hours on LOW. It is ready when the thickest part reaches 165°F.
- Grate the Parmesan yourself. It melts into the sauce more smoothly.
- Keep the pasta al dente. It will soften a little more after you stir it into the hot sauce.
- Adjust the heat. For a milder pasta, use 1 to 1½ tablespoons Cajun seasoning instead of the full 2 tablespoons.
Tools You’ll Need
- Black oval crockpot
- Large pasta pot
- Colander
- Cutting board
- Chef’s knife
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Wooden spoon or silicone spoon
- Two forks for shredding, if desired
- Cheese grater
- Instant-read meat thermometer
- Round serving bowl
Substitutions and Variations
- Chicken thighs: Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs for richer, very tender chicken.
- Different pasta: Rigatoni, rotini, or bow ties can replace penne. Cook them separately until al dente.
- Lighter cream: Half-and-half can replace heavy cream, but the finished sauce will be thinner.
- More vegetables: Add sliced mushrooms with the bell pepper and onion.
- More heat: Add cayenne pepper or hot sauce at the table.
- Less heat: Reduce the Cajun seasoning and choose a mild blend.
- Extra smoky flavor: Add sliced cooked andouille sausage near the end, just long enough to heat it through.
Make-Ahead Tips
You can slice the red bell pepper, dice the onion, mince the garlic, and grate the Parmesan one day ahead. Keep everything covered in separate containers in the refrigerator.
You can also measure the dry seasonings ahead of time. Wait to cook the pasta until close to serving time for the best texture.
Common Mistakes
- Cooking the pasta in the crockpot all day: It can become mushy. Cook it separately and add it at the end.
- Cooking chicken too long: Chicken breasts can dry out even in a slow cooker. Check for 165°F instead of relying only on the clock.
- Using too much salt: Cajun blends vary a lot. Check the label before adding extra salt.
- Using Parmesan that will not melt well: Freshly grated Parmesan gives the sauce a smoother texture.
- Making the sauce too thick: Pasta keeps soaking up sauce. Stir in a small splash of warm milk or chicken broth if needed.
- Putting the crockpot on the stove: Keep the crockpot on a safe, heat-resistant work surface such as the marble surface shown here, never on a burner.
What to Serve With
This pasta is rich, so simple sides work best.
- Garlic bread
- Warm dinner rolls
- Roasted broccoli
- Steamed green beans
- Simple green salad
- Roasted asparagus
- Corn on the cob
Macros Information
Approximate nutrition per serving, based on 6 servings:
- Calories: 730
- Protein: 48 g
- Carbohydrates: 51 g
- Fat: 37 g
- Saturated Fat: 21 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Sugar: 6 g
These are estimates. The exact numbers will change with the brands of Cajun seasoning, cream cheese, pasta, Parmesan, and chicken you use.
Leftovers and Storage
Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
The pasta will soak up sauce as it sits. When reheating, add a splash of milk, cream, or chicken broth. Heat gently and stir a few times until creamy and hot throughout.
You can freeze it, but cream sauces and cooked pasta may change texture after thawing. For the best results, I prefer this recipe fresh or refrigerated rather than frozen.
FAQ
Q: Is Cajun chicken pasta very spicy?
A: It depends on your Cajun seasoning. Some blends are mild, while others have much more heat. Start with less if you are unsure.
Q: Can I put raw chicken straight into the crockpot?
A: Yes. The raw chicken cooks directly in the slow cooker. Make sure the thickest part reaches 165°F before cutting and serving it.
Q: Can I cook this on HIGH?
A: You can, but chicken breasts are easier to overcook on HIGH. LOW gives you a larger window for tender chicken. If you use HIGH, begin checking the chicken much earlier and use its internal temperature to judge doneness.
Q: Why is my sauce too thick?
A: The pasta keeps absorbing liquid. Stir in a little warm milk or chicken broth until the sauce reaches the consistency you like.
Q: Why is my sauce thin?
A: Give the Parmesan time to melt into the hot sauce. The sauce will also thicken as it sits for a few minutes and as the pasta absorbs some liquid.
Q: Can I use frozen chicken breasts?
A: Thaw them in the refrigerator first. Starting with thawed chicken makes slow-cooker cooking more predictable and helps the chicken reach a safe temperature properly.
Q: Can I leave out the cream cheese?
A: You can, but the sauce will be much thinner and less creamy. Cream cheese provides a large part of the body in this sauce.
Final Thoughts
Crock Pot Cajun Chicken Pasta gives you tender chicken, creamy pasta, sweet bell pepper, and bold Cajun flavor in one cozy bowl. Most of the cooking happens quietly in the slow cooker, and adding the pasta at the end keeps every bite creamy instead of mushy.
Give it a try the next time you want an easy, filling dinner. If you make it, leave a comment and share how it turned out, what you changed, or any questions you have.