Lightened Up 30-Minute Cajun Chicken And Broccoli Alfredo
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Cajun Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo
If you need a little more spice in your life, this one-pot Cajun Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo is a spicy, high-protein, creamy dream come true. The creamy homemade alfredo sauce is flavorful and lighter than your traditional alfredo, like my instant pot fettuccine.
Filled with fresh broccoli, bite-size pieces of juicy chicken, and a pasta and zoodles combo for more volume and nutrition. The homemade cajun seasoning is a flavor explosion that brings this creamy pasta together. Pasta night has never been easier…or spicier.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- High protein, low fat, and 7 grams of fiber per serving.
- A lightened-up version of the traditional restaurant dish.
- Uses only one pot!
- Loaded with fresh veggies.
Homemade seasoning – only the good stuff
​The seasoning is a blend of Cajun spices and over-the-top flavorful. Homemade is cheaper, has no added sugar or preservatives, and goes with amazing recipes like Cajun Meatball Stew, Steak Bites or Cajun shrimp pasta.
Store-bought works too but keep in mind it tends to be much saltier. Start with half the amount shown on the recipe card and adjust from there. My favorite store-bought is low-sodium Tony’s.
Ingredients for this easy cajun chicken alfredo:
These are the main ingredients and substitutions for cajun chicken alfredo. See the recipe card below for the full ingredients list and instructions.
Variations and Substitutions
- Use chicken thighs, rotisserie chicken, ground meats or shrimp.
- Use store-bought seasoning but look for a low-sodium option.
- I used Protein + noodles for higher protein, you can use your favorite.
- For dairy-free use full-fat coconut milk. ​For gluten-free use a gluten-free noodle.
- To make this low-carb, omit the noodles and use all zoodles or other low-carb noodle varieties.
- For mild heat use 1 tsp. of cajun seasoning to the sauce.
- For spicy heat, use 2 tsp. of Cajun seasoning to the sauce.
How to make cajun chicken alfredo (a step-by-step visual guide):
Step 1: Prepare the cajun seasoning and coat the chicken
Add the sliced and chopped chicken to a large bowl and top with cajun seasoning (image 1).
Mix to ensure all sides are coated with the seasoning (image 2).
Step 2: cook chicken
In a deep large skillet, large pot or dutch oven with high sides, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken slices and cook (image 3).
Cook until golden brown and cooked through, approximately 5 minutes (image 4). Once cooked, transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
Step 3: sauté veggies and make sauce
Add the peppers, broccoli, onion and garlic to the same skillet and sauté until softened over medium heat (image 5).
Pour the half and half and chicken broth in with the vegetables (image 6).
Add the cajun seasoning to the creamy alfredo sauce and stir to combine (image 7).
Step 4: add the noodles
Break the spaghetti noodles in half and add to the pot in a crisscross pattern (image 8). This helps them cook through and not stick together in the pot. Press the noodles down so they’re submerged in the liquid to cook. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low.
Cover the pot and let simmer for about 10-15 minutes for al dente pasta or until the pasta is cooked to your liking, stirring often.
Step 5: add mix-ins
Once the noodles have softened, add the spiralized zucchini and mix to combine (image 9).
Once the pasta is cooked and the zucchini is soft, add the cheese to the pot and mix to melt and combine (image 10). Let simmer for 3-5 minutes.
Step 6: add chicken back to the dish
Add the cooked chicken pieces back into the pot and stir into the pasta (image 11).
Simmer for 3-5 minutes to allow the chicken to heat through and the flavors to melt together while the sauce thickens. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed (image 12).
Recipe Tips
- The sauce thickens as it sits and simmers. I suggest turning the heat off and letting the dish sit for a couple of minutes to thicken prior to serving.
- Turn this into a completely new and exciting dish but using different proteins and vegetable combinations.
Serving and storing the Cajun broccoli pasta
Serve your Cajun chicken alfredo pasta with garlic bread and a side salad for a full feast.
Store leftover cooked pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Add a splash of half and half, chicken broth or water if it seems to dry out in your fridge but it shouldn’t.
Put single servings into meal prep containers to bring on the go and reheat in the microwave or stove top.
If you like this recipe be sure to check out some of our delicious pasta recipes!
If you make this recipe, please leave a rating and/or comment! Tag me on Instagram @ohsnapmacros, I love hearing from you!
Cajun Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo
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Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts thinly sliced and chopped
- 3 Tbsp. cajun seasoning for chicken
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 red bell pepper thinly sliced
- 1 orange bell pepper thinly sliced
- 1 yellow bell pepper thinly sliced
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 1/2 large yellow onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 8 oz. Barilla Protein Plus Pasta Spaghetti broken in half
- 2 cups fat free half and half
- 2.5 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1-2 tsp. Cajun seasoning for sauce
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- fresh cracked pepper
- 1 medium zucchini spiralized, 8 oz.
- 1/2 cup Parmesan Romano Cheese blend, shredded 56g
Cajun Seasoning
- 3 Tbsp. smoked paprika
- 1.5 Tbsp. salt
- 2 Tbsp. garlic powder
- 1 Tbsp. onion powder
- 1 Tbsp. dried oregano
- 1 Tbsp. cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
Toppings
- fresh parsley for serving
- shredded parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- Add the sliced and chopped chicken to a large mixing bowl and top with 3 Tbsp. cajun seasoning. Mix to ensure all sides are coated with the seasoning.
- In a deep skillet or dutch oven with high sides, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken slices and cook until golden brown and cooked through, approximately 5 minutes. Once cooked, transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Add the peppers, broccoli, onion and garlic to the same skillet and sauté until softened.
- Pour the half and half and chicken broth in with the vegetables. If you want mild (still spicy as this is a cajun dish) add 1 tsp. of cajun seasoning to the mixture along with salt and pepper. If you want spicy, add 2 tsp. of cajun seasoning and stir to combine.
- Break the spaghetti noodles in half and add to the pot in a criss cross pattern. This helps them cook through and not stick together in the pot. Press the noodles down so they’re submerged in the liquid to cook.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and let simmer for about 10-15 minutes or until the pasta is cooked to your liking, stirring often.
- Once the noodles have softened, add the spiralized zucchini and mix to combine.
- Once the pasta is cooked and zucchini is soft, add the cheese to the pot and mix to melt and combine. Let simmer for 3-5 minutes.
- Add the cooked chicken back into the pot and stir into the pasta. Simmer for 3-5 minutes to allow the chicken to heat through and the flavors to melt together while the sauce thickens. Taste and adjust seasonings, if needed.
Notes
- Nutritional information is an estimate and will vary with substitutions.Â
- If you use store-bought cajun seasoning I suggest cutting the seasoning in half and adjusting it to taste as store-bought is much saltier.
- Adjust the heat level in the sauce by using ¼ Tbsp. of Cajun seasoning for mild heat and ½ Tbsp. for spicy.
- Serving size gram suggestion is always an estimate and can change from person to person. I always suggest you weigh your final and divide by the number of servings.Â
We loved this recipe! Question-would
Leftovers freeze well?
I’ve personally never frozen this one.
I keep yelling, “THIS IS SO GOOD!” My family thinks I’m crazy.
Unfortunately, I don’t see this in MacrosFirst.
Trying tonight! Cant wait! Just a question- I can’t find the recipe as listed on Macros first? I searched all your recipes. Just making sure it’s not under something else! Thanks for the good recipes!
Got it added in, it’ll be uploaded in the morning. It’s a manual entry so sometimes it just gets missed but you can always enter it into your tracking app.
Disregard my request below for it to be added. Thanks for adding to the apps! I know it is time consuming!
So easy and so good. Just the right spice and flavors!
This is the most DELICIOUS meal!! And it made so much we’ve been eating leftovers for lunch and dinner! And it’s so so good every single time. This is definitely a new staple in our house!
Definitely one of my favorites, so happy you love it too! Thank you!
Love love love this recipe! So many veggies and yet it still just feels like a pasta dish. The Cajun flavor is great. I don’t usually like too much spice but I did add 2 tsp to the veggies and it was perfect! My husband enjoyed it too and he usually is adding spice to whatever I make. It’s a hit and going into the regular rotation!
Yay!! That makes me so happy to hear! Thank you!
Delicious! And easy! I made a few substitutions based on what I had on hand (2% milk vs FF half and half, no zucchini) and I had to add a little arrowroot powder to thicken the sauce, probably because of the 2% sub, but it was fantastic! Definitely going in my weekly rotation!
Love that!
This was so so so good! It is easy to make, and the flavor is delicious! Tamed the spices just a bit to accommodate my less adventurous partner. Although I think I may push it up just a tiny bit next time. And there will be a next time!!
So glad you loved it!
So good! I made it a little milder and it was the perfect amount of heat.