We’re excited to have Bearded Chef Guy back with us in 2026. This month, he’s showing you how to prepare a spicy chicken pasta—just in time for Valentine’s Day.
This Cajun Chicken Pasta is a great date-night dinner—and you have plenty of time to practice if you want to serve it on Valentine’s Day! It’s simple but packs a punch with flavor. If you want to cut back on the spice level, you can adapt the recipe or omit the cayenne pepper altogether to make it your own. In fact, I adapted this recipe from @thesapor. Enjoy!
CAJUN CHICKEN PASTA
INGREDIENTS
Chicken
1 chicken breast, sliced in half
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne (may omit or decrease to taste)
Pasta
10 ounces rigatoni pasta
1 ½ cups heavy cream
4 tablespoons butter
½ yellow onion, diced
½ red bell pepper, diced
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
½ cup shredded mozzeralla
1/3 cup shredded parmesan
½ tsp red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon oregano
PREPARATION
Boil pasta to al dente, drain, and set aside. Heat oil and butter in a skillet. While skillet is heating up, season chicken with ingredients listed under the chicken section.
Place chicken in skillet and cook on both sides until it reaches an internal temperature of 160°F. Pull it and set aside. The carry-over heat will take it to 165°F once it’s removed from the skillet.
Turn heat down to medium-low and, in the same skillet, add more butter and oil along with onion and pepper. Sauté for 5 minutes. Add the garlic until fragrant (don’t add the garlic when you add the onion and peppers as it can overcook). Add tomato paste and stir well. Add the heavy cream next and stir until combined. Add the cheese and seasonings under the Pasta ingredient list. Last, add the rigatoni pasta and stir until well coated with the sauce. Slice chicken and place on top of the pasta. Garnish with more shredded parmesan and parsley.
