Cajun Chicken Pasta with Boursin Cheese
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If you love an easy meal that’s full of flavor, you’re going to love this Cajun Chicken Pasta recipe with Baked Boursin Cheese! Cajun seasoned chicken roasts in the oven right alongside garlic herb Boursin cheese and cherry tomatoes. The baked cheese, tomatoes, and chicken are tossed with pasta, Cajun seasoning, and hot sauce to make an incredibly creamy Cajun chicken pasta that’s guaranteed to become one of your favorite recipes!
Why you’ll love this pasta dish
- It’s so flavorful! The creamy Boursin cheese melts into the pasta to create a luscious, flavorful sauce. Pair the creamy sauce with the sweetness of roasted cherry tomatoes and the spice of Cajun seasoning and you have a seriously flavorful pasta dish!
- It’s quick to make! You only need 15 minutes of hands-on time to create this dish, and the entire meal comes together in less than 45 minutes. It’s perfect for easy weeknight dinners.
- You can make it your own! Add extra veggies, more chicken, less spice, or more spice. The possibilities are endless with this simple pasta recipe.
Ingredients
Here I explain the best ingredients for this creamy Cajun chicken pasta recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For the exact ingredient measurements, see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or chicken thighs) – if using chicken breasts you’ll want to lay the breast flat and thinly slice it in half through the middle, so you end up with four pieces of chicken that are no thicker than 1/2 inch.
- Olive oil
- Cajun seasoning – click the link for my easy homemade spice blend that’s made with pantry staples like paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. You can make it in advance and store it in the pantry for up to 6 months. You can also pick up a jar of pre-made Cajun seasoning at the grocery store.
- Boursin cheese – there are several varieties of Boursin cheese. I recommend using the garlic and fine herbs Boursin for this recipe. You’ll need two 5.2 ounce packages of the cheese to make this recipe.
- Cherry tomatoes – you’ll need two pints of tomatoes, which is equivalent to 20-24 ounces, or 4 cups of tomatoes.
- Salt + black pepper – to season the tomatoes before roasting.
- Penne pasta – you can also use medium shells, rotini, or macaroni noodles.
- Hot sauce – feel free to use as much or as little as you’d like to adjust the spice level of the pasta dish.
Instructions
I’ve included step by step photos below to make this recipe super easy to follow at home. For the full detailed recipe instructions, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Prep the chicken. Slice two chicken breasts in half lengthwise through the middle so you have 4 pieces of chicken. Coat the chicken breasts in olive oil, then sprinkle cajun seasoning evenly on all sides of the chicken. Place the chicken breasts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil, for easy clean-up.
- Prep the Boursin and tomatoes. Place two rounds of Boursin cheese in the middle of a 9 inch by 13 inch baking dish. Surround the cheese with cherry tomatoes. Drizzle olive oil over the tomatoes, then season them with salt and pepper.
- Roast the chicken, cheese, and tomatoes. Preheat an oven to 400°F. Place the baking sheet of chicken, and the casserole dish of cheese and tomatoes, in the oven together. Roast for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, the tomatoes have began to burst, and the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.
- Combine with pasta. While everything is roasting in the oven, bring a large pot of water to boil on the stove. Once boiling, add 1 pound of pasta noodles and cook according to the package directions. Remove 1 cup of pasta water and set it aside before draining the pasta. When the tomatoes and Boursin come out of the oven, add the cooked pasta and pasta cooking water to the baking dish. Season with Cajun seasoning and hot sauce. Toss everything together.
- Dice the chicken and add it to the dish. Transfer the chicken from the baking sheet to a cutting board and dice it up. Add it to the pasta dish and stir to combine everything before serving.
Optional additions
To add more veggies to the dish, dice up a bell pepper and onion. Add them to the baking dish with the cherry tomatoes and roast them in the oven. You can also stir fresh spinach leaves in to the dish at the end. The heat from the pasta, tomatoes, and cheese will “cook” the spinach into the dish.
To garnish the pasta, add chopped fresh parsley and fresh grated parmesan cheese.
What to serve with it
My favorite way to serve this Cajun chicken pasta is with bread for dipping, like my homemade garlic bread or cheesy pull apart rolls.
Baked Boursin Cajun Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 4 tablespoons cajun seasoning, divided (click link for recipe)
- 10.4 ounces Garlic Herb Boursin Cheese, two 5.2 ounce packages
- 2 pints cherry tomatoes, 20-24 ounces or 4 cups
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pound penne pasta, or medium pasta shells
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce, adjust to your spice preference
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise through the middle so you have 4 pieces of chicken. Coat the chicken in 1 tablespoon olive oil, then 3 tablespoons cajun seasoning. Place the chicken breasts on a baking sheet.
- Add the Boursin cheese and cherry tomatoes to a 9 inch x 13 inch oven-safe casserole dish. Drizzle the tomatoes with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, and season with the salt and pepper.
- Place the chicken, and the cheese and tomatoes, in the oven and roast for 20-25 minutes.
- While everything is in the oven, bring a large pot of water to boil on the stove. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions. Remove 1 cup of pasta water and set it aside before draining the pasta.
- After the cooking time, remove the baking dish of cheese and tomatoes from the oven. Also remove the chicken and transfer it from the baking sheet to a cutting board.
- Add the cooked pasta, pasta water, hot sauce, and remaining tablespoon of cajun seasoning to the baking dish with the Boursin and tomatoes, stir to combine everything. Dice the chicken and mix it into the pasta. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Store leftover Cajun pasta in an airtight container in the fridge. I recommend reheating it in the microwave, or on the stove, with a little bit of broth, milk, or heavy cream, to prevent it from drying out. If reheating it on the stove, add the pasta to a pot on the stove over medium heat. Add some liquid to prevent it from drying out, cover the pot and let it heat up for 5-7 minutes.
- To make this recipe gluten free, use gluten-free penne pasta.
- To make this recipe vegetarian, omit the chicken. Add more vegetables, like zucchini, mushrooms, bell peppers, or onions, to roast with the cherry tomatoes and cheese.
Nutrition Facts
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