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Slow-Cooker Cajun Chicken Pasta

This slow-cooker cajun chicken pasta is full of flavor, from the juicy chicken to the savory peppers and onions, in a rich creamy cajun sauce. It's a perfect comfort meal made easy in the crock-pot.
Cook Time 4 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Cajun

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lbs chicken breasts about 4-5 large chicken breasts, cut into 2" pieces
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons dried italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon cajun seasoning
  • olive oil for sautéing
  • 1 onion sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 red pepper sliced
  • 1 yellow pepper sliced
  • 2 jalapeño peppers seeds + ribs removed, sliced
  • 1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 14 oz. can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1 cups whole milk or half + half
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup plain yogurt
  • 1 pound pasta i used fettuccine

Method
 

  1. Combine the first 9 seasonings in a large bowl + stir to combine. Add the cubed chicken, toss to cover well, + allow to sit while you prep the rest of the ingredients.
  2. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add the onions + garlic + saute until just softened, about 5 minutes. Put the onions/garlic in the crock-pot.
  3. Return the pan to the heat, add another tablespoon of olive oil + add the chicken. Cook until just seared on all sides, about 1-2 minutes per side. If your pan isn’t big enough to sear all the chicken at once, do this in batches. When chicken is seared, add it to the crock-pot.
  4. Return the pan to the heat once more, add another tablespoon of olive oil, then add the red + yellow peppers + jalapeno peppers. Cook until peppers are softened, about 5 minutes, then transfer the peppers to the crock-pot.
  5. Add the crushed tomatoes, fire-roasted tomatoes, + chicken broth to the crock-pot. Stir everything until well-combined. Cook on LOW for 4 hours, until chicken is cooked through.
  6. Whisk together the milk, yogurt, + cornstarch in a small bowl. Add to the crock-pot, cover, + allow to cook on LOW for 30 minutes more, until sauce has thickened.
  7. When the chicken has about 15-20 minutes left, cook pasta as instructed on the package. Drain, return to pot, + toss with about 1/2 cup (or more, depending on your preference) of the creamy cajun sauce from the crock-pot. Top with chicken + peppers mixture, + serve with fresh bread.

Notes

This recipe makes for a medium-spicy recipe. For a less-spicy version, you can omit the crushed red pepper, cayenne pepper, and jalapenos.