This creamy Cajun chicken pasta bake comes together in one dish with no boiling required. Just stir everything together, cover, and let the oven do the work for an easy, family-friendly dinner with bold Cajun flavor!
For another easy Cajun-inspired dinner, try my dump-and-bake Cajun sausage pasta or this creamy chicken Alfredo casserole.
Before You Get Started
A few quick tips to make sure your Cajun chicken pasta bake turns out creamy and perfectly cooked every time:
- Use rotini (or a pasta with a similar cook time). This recipe is designed and tested with rotini, which has a 7-8 minute recommended cook time on the package. You can substitute penne, rigatoni, or elbows, but pick a shape with a similar cook time or you’ll need to adjust the baking time.
- Dice the bell peppers and onion very small. Finely diced vegetables (about ¼-inch pieces) will soften by the time the pasta is done. Larger pieces may still be crunchy.
- Cover the dish tightly with foil. A good seal traps steam, which is what cooks the pasta through in the oven. If steam escapes, your noodles may end up undercooked or unevenly cooked.
How to Make Cajun Chicken Pasta
This baked Cajun chicken pasta uses my favorite dump-and-bake method, so the oven does almost all the work. You’ll find detailed measurements in the recipe card below, but here’s how it comes together:
Step 1: Mix the Sauce and Assemble
Preheat your oven to 425°F and spray a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Whisk together the Alfredo sauce, chicken broth, diced tomatoes (with their juices), Cajun seasoning, and garlic powder right in the dish.
Then stir in the uncooked pasta, shredded chicken, diced bell peppers, and onion until everything is evenly coated.
⇢ Use low-sodium broth (or water). Cajun and Creole seasoning blends already contain salt, so low-sodium broth keeps the dish from getting too salty. You can always add more salt at the end after tasting.
Step 2: Cover and Bake
Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for about 35 minutes.
The total baking time will vary depending on your oven and baking dish. Glass or ceramic dishes hold heat differently than metal pans and may take a few minutes longer.
⇢ Check for al dente pasta. After 35 minutes, carefully remove the foil and taste a noodle. The pasta should be firm but almost done cooking. If it’s still quite hard, cover and return to the oven for another 5-10 minutes before moving on.
Step 3: Add Cheese and Finish
Once the pasta is al dente, give everything a gentle stir. Sprinkle the shredded cheese evenly over the top and return the dish to the oven, uncovered, for about 5-10 more minutes. The cheese should be melted and bubbly, and the noodles should be fully tender.
⇢ Don’t over-bake. Once the pasta is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, pull the casserole from the oven. Leaving it too long will make the noodles mushy. If the sauce looks thinner than you’d like, let it rest for 5 minutes before serving. It will thicken as it sits.
Garnish with fresh parsley or sliced green onions and serve.
This has become my go to pasta during the week! So easy to make. Thank you for sharing.
– Brittany
Serving Ideas
A simple side is all you need alongside this creamy pasta bake. For a Southern-style dinner, serve with:
For bread on the side, try my 3-ingredient buttermilk biscuits, Jiffy cornbread with creamed corn, or a crusty French baguette.
Recipe Variations
- Sausage version: Swap the chicken for andouille sausage and make a dump-and-bake Cajun sausage pasta instead, or try this Cajun shrimp and sausage pasta.
- Mild version: For a milder dish with no Cajun kick, try this dump-and-bake chicken pot pie pasta.
- Use leftover turkey instead of chicken for a great post-holiday dinner.
- Add extra veggies like broccoli florets or diced zucchini. Just stir them in with the other ingredients before baking.
- Cooking for two? Cut the ingredients by ¼ and bake in a small 5×6-inch dish (or divide into two single-serve dishes). The cooking time will be slightly shorter, so keep an eye on it.
I just tried it and added florets from a head of broccoli. Worked fine. Great recipe.
– Walter
Storage and Reheating
This casserole is best enjoyed fresh from the oven. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. The pasta will dry out a bit as it sits, so stir in a splash of broth or sauce when you reheat.
Reheating: Warm individual portions in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
Make ahead: You can assemble the casserole a few hours in advance or cover and refrigerate it overnight before baking. The pasta will start to absorb some liquid as it sits, so you may need to reduce the baking time slightly.
Freezing: I don’t recommend freezing this casserole. Pasta tends to get gummy and mushy when thawed.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I keep the sauce from being thin or runny?
The most common cause is underbaking. Make sure you check the pasta at the 35-minute mark and that it’s truly al dente before adding the cheese. Also, let the casserole rest for about 5 minutes after baking. The sauce will continue to thicken as the pasta absorbs the remaining liquid.
What kind of cheese works best?
Shredded mozzarella or cheddar both work well here. Mozzarella gives you a milder, stretchier melt, while cheddar adds a sharper flavor. You can also mix the two, or try pepper jack for a little extra heat.
Can I use cream cheese or heavy cream instead of Alfredo sauce?
This recipe is built around jarred Alfredo sauce as the base, which keeps it simple. If you want to swap in homemade sauce, you’ll need about 2 ½ cups total. Cream cheese on its own won’t provide enough liquid for the pasta to cook properly in the oven.
Can I adjust the spice level?
Absolutely. For a milder dish, reduce the Cajun seasoning to 1 ½ teaspoons. For more heat, add a pinch of cayenne pepper or some crushed red pepper flakes along with the full tablespoon of seasoning.
More Easy Pasta Dinners
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Cajun Chicken Pasta Bake
Ingredients
- 1 (22 ounce) jar Alfredo sauce (about 2 ½ cups)
- 2 ½ cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, not drained
- 1 tablespoon Cajun or Creole seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder (or 2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic)
- 1 (16 ounce) package uncooked rotini pasta
- 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken (such as the meat from a store-bought rotisserie chicken)
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
- 1 cup finely diced yellow onion (about 1 small onion)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella or cheddar cheese
- Optional garnish: fresh parsley and/or sliced green onion, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Spray a 13×9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In the prepared dish, whisk together the Alfredo sauce, chicken broth, diced tomatoes with their juices, Cajun seasoning, and garlic powder.
- Stir in the uncooked pasta, chicken, bell peppers, and onion. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 35 minutes.
- Uncover the dish and gently stir the pasta with a fork. Check the pasta to make sure it's al dente (firm but almost finished cooking). If it's still too hard, cover the dish and return to the oven until al dente, then move on to the next step.
- Once the pasta is al dente, sprinkle the cheese over top. Return the dish to the oven and bake, uncovered, until the cheese melts and the pasta is tender, about 5-10 more minutes.
- Garnish with parsley or sliced green onion, if desired. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Pasta: This recipe is designed and tested with rotini pasta. You can substitute with penne, rigatoni, or elbows. Just pick a shape with a similar cook time (7-8 minutes on the package) or you’ll need to adjust the baking time.
- Alfredo sauce: You’ll need about 2½ cups total. That’s approximately one large 22-ounce jar or 1½ smaller 15-ounce jars.
- Chicken: Use a store-bought rotisserie chicken for convenience, or cook about 1 lb. of raw boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs) to get about 2 cups shredded. Leftover turkey works well, too.
- Seasoning: Cajun or Creole seasoning both work. Since these blends include salt, use low-sodium broth and wait to add additional salt until after tasting.
- Spice level: For a milder dish, reduce the Cajun seasoning to 1½ teaspoons. For more heat, add a pinch of cayenne or crushed red pepper flakes.
- Baking dish: Glass or ceramic dishes will take longer than metal pans. To check doneness, taste a bite of pasta. The noodles should be tender and most of the liquid absorbed.
- Don’t overbake or the pasta will become mushy. When in doubt, pull it out and let it rest for 5 minutes. It will continue to absorb liquid.
- Thin sauce fix: If the sauce seems thin, let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving. It thickens as it cools slightly.
- Make ahead: Assemble the casserole and refrigerate covered for several hours or overnight. The pasta will absorb some liquid, so you may need to decrease baking time slightly.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Stir in a splash of broth when reheating.
- Freezing not recommended. Pasta tends to get gummy and mushy when thawed.
Nutrition
Originally published in April, 2017, this post was updated in March, 2026.
I love the sound of cajun chicken pasta! I’ve never made my own before, but you’re right, a lot of restaurants do have their own version. This dump and bake one sounds perfect for that kick of flavor when you’re short on time!
Thanks, Gayle! You should totally try this version! Great flavor for very little effort. 🙂
My family loves spicy food. This looks like a super easy dinner to make on a busy night!
You’ll love this version, then! Thanks so much, Ann! Enjoy!
Hi
I tried this recipe and though it was delicious, the sauce turned out thin and runny. Your photos how the sauce to be thick and creamy. Any idea what I might have done wrong?
I’ve tried and enjoyed many of your recipes.
Keep up your good work.
Hi, Dennis! I’m not sure — did you use penne as called for, or did you substitute with a different pasta shape? Was the pasta cooked through, or did it still need more time to finish absorbing some of the liquid? I can’t think of any other variables that would have affected the consistency of the sauce, so I’m not sure what the problem was. Sorry I don’t have a more specific suggestion.
Thanks for reading the blog! I appreciate you following along with us! Have a great weekend!
Can you boil and cook pasta before baking or will they be too mushy?
Hi, Robin! Yes, you can definitely pre-boil the pasta in the same way that you would for a more traditional casserole. That said, you’ll have to adjust the amount of liquid that you use in the dish. When you bake the UNcooked pasta, the pasta absorbs a lot of the liquid as it bakes. If you’re starting with cooked pasta, I would suggest eliminating most of the chicken broth (maybe just set aside a little bit to thin the sauce, as necessary). Hope that helps, and enjoy!
This has become my go to pasta during the week ! So easy to make. Thank you for sharing .
That’s awesome, Brittany! I totally agree — it doesn’t get much easier! 🙂
Great recipe! Could you prep it all then freeze it? Or would it need to be cooked first before frozen?
Hi, Karleigh! You can freeze it either way — before or after baking. If you freeze it before baking, the pasta may have a slightly mushier texture after baking, but it will still be okay. Enjoy!
I just tried it and added florets from a head of broccoli. Worked fine. Great recipe.
I was going to make my own Cajun seasoning for this since the manufactured ones have an awful lot of salt. Then I can adjust the salt. Do you recommend a particular “recipe” for making my own seasoning?
Hi Marion! Any cajun seasoning recipe you like best will work, but this one tends to be pretty popular.
Thanks!
We made this for supper tonight for the first time. This was so good. My husband said it was the bomb! lol! We will definitely be having this one again. I love your dump and bake recipes. So easy to have through the week to make supper after work. All your recipes always turn out so good! I use them alot!
Thank you so much, Lisa! We’re glad you enjoyed it and hope you continue to enjoy our other recipes.
Really well structured.! I feel more confident after reading this.!
We’re so glad! We hope you enjoy the recipe, Belle.