Slow Cooker Cajun Chicken Fettuccine is a great spicy recipe for pasta night!
Hi all! This slow cooker Cajun chicken fettuccine was one of the those recipes that changed after the ingredients were bought. I had planned to make a dish called chicken lazone, but decided to add a few more Cajun seasonings then add pasta and Parmesan cheese to the pot at the end of the cooking time along with the cream.
Below is what the dish starts out looking like before cooking. I start with chicken broth and a few seasonings to make it Cajun flavored. I do have a premade Cajun seasoning I could have used but it is too salty by the time you add enough to make a dish spicy.
After the chicken is done cooking, I shred the chicken and add heavy cream, cooked fettuccine noodles and parmesan. I let this cook for 20 minutes more to let the sauce thicken a bit and the flavors of the sauce get into the pasta.
This pasta has a bit of a kick to it, mostly from the cayenne. It was a nice change from my regular pasta recipes.
This recipe has received so many rave reviews I hope you give it a try. Besides making this recipe I plan on trying this recipe from a friend of mine called Crock Pot Salsa Ranch Chicken Pasta, I can’t get enough slow cooker pasta meals!
Ingredients
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
- ¼ tsp. onion powder
- ½ tsp. dried leaf oregano
- ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
- 1½ tsp. paprika
- 1 tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. pepper
- 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 small white onion diced
Add at the end:
- 1 lb. fettuccine noodles cooked according to package directions
- 2 cups heavy cream
- ¾ cup parmesan cheese divided
Instructions
- Add the chicken broth to the slow cooker, add the cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, red pepper flakes, paprika, salt and pepper. Stir.
- Add the chicken breasts and flip them around in the seasoned chicken broth to get the seasonings on the chicken.
- Sprinkle the onions over the chicken and broth.
- Cover and cook on low for 6 hours without opening the lid during the cooking time.
- After the cooking time is done, add the heavy cream and shred the chicken with 2 forks right in the slow cooker.
- Add the cooked and drained pasta and a ½ cup of the Parmesan cheese. Stir.
- Sprinkle over the remaining parmesan cheese. I added a touch more paprika and also parsley flakes to the top of my pasta to make it look pretty. Cover and cook for 20 more minutes. Cooking for a bit longer helps the sauce thicken from the gluten in the pasta.
- Serve and enjoy!
Could I put uncooked noodles in when chicken is cooking?
No, the slow cooker doesn’t get hot enough to cook the noodles properly. They get mushy and chalky.
Made this today. Loved it! Hubby says it’s a keeper.
This was phenomenal! We made it with GF Spaghetti and ate every last bite! Thank you so much for sharing!
Can I use Cajun spice instead of the other spices
I was going to ask the same question… did you happen to make it with just using Cajun spice? Thanks
Cooking the chicken as we speak—at the end when everything needs to cook for 20 minutes, are you cooking it in the crockpot on low setting still?
Yes! 🙂
I think I’m going to try cutting the recipe in half since there are only two of us and my Instant Pot is pretty small. If I still cook it on low, would I need to change the cook time or will it be about the same?
Can I start with frozen chicken breast
I used frozen chicken breasts. I only had 5 hours instead of 6. Followed everything else the same. Turned out amazing.
I am making this right now. Thanks for the recipe.
Would it be okay to cut the cook time in half on high?
3.5-4 hours on high would work fine.
Do you think this would be good without the Parmesan cheese? Thanks!
I think so!
I’ve made this a few times and it’s very good. I actually add a little more spice since my family likes more. I also feel the cream dilutes it a bit. My issue is it never gets thick enough.
This is the same for me. I just can’t get it to thicken :/
It was great!
Can you use chicken stock instead of chicken broth?
Yes!
If I were to use gluten free pasta how can I still get it to thicken at the end ?
This recipe is delicious! We have it for dinner every couple of weeks. I find it is seasoned perfectly according to the recipe. Thank you for sharing!
Do you think it would be okay to use half n half instead of heavy cream. Its told me either or on a different recipe and its all I have
I will be thinner, but would work fine.
My husband loves this meal. We just add some cooked peas to it in the end and really like it.
Peas are such a great idea! My family loves peas.
I made this last night and it turned out great. I did add a can of Rotel’s roasted tomatoes like someone had commented. I used frozen chicken breasts instead. I cooked it on high for 3 hrs, but 2.5 hrs should be good enough. Just check the temp with a meat thermometer. The only thing I’d do different is add less whipping cream. Maybe 1 cup instead of 2. Took forever to thicken and was kind of soupy. You can also add mushrooms and spinach at the end with the cream.
Thanks for the tips, sounds great with the mushrooms and spinach.
I made this for dinner last night. My husband absolutely loved it. I myself like a little more flavor in the dish and thought it could use a bit more spice. Overall it’s a good dish and we will definitely be making it again.
What kind of heavy cream did you use?
I’m unsure, I usually use the store brand.