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One Pot Cajun Ranch Chicken Pasta. Made in no time at all, this one pot, 35-minute pasta is one you will make on repeat! Pan-seared chicken with Cajun seasoning and poblano peppers is tossed up with bow-tie pasta in a creamy sauce made with ranch dressing and parmesan. Flavor this pasta with a couple of spoonfuls of additional Cajun seasoning and fresh basil for a simple but totally delicious meal!
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I mentioned this last weekend when I shared the video for this one pot tomato basil pasta on our Instagram stories. For whatever reason, the sound of breaking out a big pot, filling it with water, and boiling off pasta is always so daunting to me.
In reality, it’s really is not that much effort, but if I can find a way to make a pasta dish all in one pot. I’m going to do it!
I love the ease and, of course, fewer dishes!
This Cajun chicken pasta dish is one I’ve been making often. It comes highly requested by my brothers every time they’re in Colorado. They’re not usually that into pasta, but when I make this (and usually with extra chicken on the side), they are always so excited!
My younger brother, Malachi, says it reminds him of the pasta he used to special order at a local Cleveland restaurant called Danny Boys!
He mentioned that the only thing missing is the yummy garlic bread. Maybe that’s a recipe to come!
These are the details
Ingredients
- salted butter
- chicken breast or thighs
- Cajun seasoning – I always make my own blend, I shared the recipe below
- yellow onions
- poblano peppers
- garlic
- Short-cut pasta – I love bow-ties for this
- fresh parsley – or you could use basil too
- chili flakes
- whole milk
- cream cheese
- ranch dressing
- parmesan cheese
Special Tools
For this recipe, you’ll need a large pot but not much else!
Steps
Step 1: cook the chicken
In a big pot, toss the chicken with butter and Cajun seasoning. Get the chicken hot and let it get crispy; this will take about 5 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the pot.
Step 2: cook the pasta
To that same pot, add the onions, peppers, garlic, and more Cajun seasoning. Cook until the vegetables are soft.
Then, toss in the pasta and parsley. Add water and cook until the pasta is al dente, about 8 minutes. Make sure to add salt and stir often to ensure the pasta does not stick!
Step 3: add milk and the ranch dressing
Next, mix in the milk, the ranch dressing, and the parmesan. Stir until the pasta is fully cooked and the sauce is creamy.
Slide the chicken back into the pasta and give it a gentle stir.
Now, serve it up with fresh parsley! It is so quick and yummy! The ranch really adds a delicious flavor and creaminess too. I make a Greek yogurt-based ranch!
The Seasoning
As I mentioned, I do mix my own blend of Cajun seasonings. It’s one of my favorite mixes and uses the following spices:
- smoked paprika
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- dried oregano
- dried thyme
- chili powder
- cayenne pepper
- sea salt
- black pepper
Mix all the spices together, and you’ll have my Cajun seasoning! It’s so good, and there are no weird fillers.
If you want to add some more green to this dish, I recommend stirring in a handful of spinach.
The perfect dish for livening up an average night!
Looking for other one-pot recipes? Here are my favorites:
French Onion Pasta with Crispy Prosciutto
One Skillet White Chicken Chili Bake
Healthier Homemade One Pot Hamburger Helper
Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta
Lastly, if you make this One Pot Cajun Ranch Chicken Pasta, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And, of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
One Pot Cajun Ranch Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 pound boneless chicken breasts or thighs cubed
- 2 teaspoons cajun seasoning
- 1 yellow onion sliced
- 2 poblano peppers chopped
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 3-4 teaspoons cajun seasoning
- 1 pound short cut pasta
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley chopped
- chili flakes
- 2 cups milk
- 2 ounces cream cheese
- 1/2 cup ranch dressing
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- 1. In a large pot set over medium-high heat, cook the butter with the chicken and 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning. Cook for 5 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Scoop the chicken out of the pot and set aside. 2. Add the onions, peppers, garlic, and 2-3 teaspoons of Cajun seasoning. Cook until the veggies are soft. Add the pasta, parsley, and 2 cups of water. Cook, stirring often, until the pasta is al dente, about 8 minutes. Stir in the milk, cream cheese, ranch dressing, and parmesan. Mix until creamy.3. Slide the chicken into the pasta and gently mix. 4. Serve the pasta immediately with fresh parmesan and parsley. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
This recipe, as others have stated, was just not it. The flavors didn’t compliment each other and it was just….weird. The liquid and timing was inaccurate as well. Would definitely not make this again.
Hi there,
Thanks for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback, sorry to hear it was not enjoyed!
I have made this recipe twice now. My boyfriend and I love it! The only issue I find is that the pasta usually takes double the time to cook than what the receipe says and I always choose a noodle like casarecce. I find I have to keep adding water because it evaporates before the pasta is anywhere near done.
Thanks so much, Heather:) Love to hear you enjoyed this recipe, I appreciate you making it! Happy Sunday!
Recipe calls for milk but directions state water.
Which one should I use?
Hi Helen,
You are going to use both milk and water in this recipe. Please let me know if you have any other questions!
Everyone in my family loved this! I made it with half the parmesan and milk and also used cottage cheese instead of cream cheese to reduce the calories and it was still delicious!
Hi Giselle,
Happy Monday! I appreciate you trying this recipe and your feedback, love to hear it turned out well!
so good!!! my store didn’t have poblano peppers, so i used one green bell pepper and three chipotles in adobo leftover from a previous recipe. i also thought 2 cups of water didn’t look like enough, so i doubled that but should’ve listened to you!!! ended up having to reduce it for a bit for it to thicken back up. 2 cups is totally enough. i also used about 4 oz of cream cheese instead of 2 oz and a little extra parmesan as i like it a bit cheesier. turned out so delicious i would totally make this again!!!!!!
Hey Nat,
Thanks so much!! I am so glad to hear this recipe was enjoyed, I appreciate you giving it a try!
This was DELICIOUS. I used chicken broth instead of water, and doubled the liquid. Turned out SO yummy 😋
Hi Leanne,
Thanks so much! I love to hear this recipe turned out for you, thanks for making it! Happy Wednesday!
Went to make the Cajun chicken recipe with corn (a favourite of ours!) and came across this one and decided to try. And hmmm not quite sure about this one, unfortunately! As others said, it took way longer to cook the pasta and used way more water. The flavour wasn’t quite there either. Thanks for sharing though 😊
Hi Katie! Thank you so much for trying out this recipe! I’m so sorry you didn’t enjoy this, I really appreciate the feedback! xT
For the Cajun seasoning – it says Mix 2 1/2 Tablespoons of smoked paprika. So… 1 Tablespoon? Or it that a typo?
Hi Leah! The recipe calls for two and a half tablespoons of smoked paprika for the cajun seasoning! Hope this helps! 🙂 xT
The addition of Ranch Dressing to this pasta dish is novel (brilliant) enough for me to make for my family all of whom love Ranch Dressing. THIS DISH IS AMAZING!! Every member of my family (all adults) RAVED about it! I used chicken thighs, 3 cups of stock, and probably 3 oz rather than 2 oz of cream cheese and it was heavenly. I can always count on your recipes being well-loved. Many thanks…
Hey Sally! Thank you sooo much! I’m so so glad you’re loving this pasta! Thank you for giving it a try! 🙂 xT
SO YUMMY and so EASY to make! There is a special place in my heart for one pot recipes. I followed the recipe, but added in some sliced mushrooms since I had some to use up. Fantastic. Everyone loved it. I’m making it again tonight.
Hi Charlotte,
Awesome! Thank you so much for giving this recipe a try, I’m so glad to hear it was enjoyed! Have the best week:)
Hi! Your link for the Cajun seasoning isn’t working anymore. Can you please share the brand?
Hi Reilly,
It is the Good and Gather brand from Target, but I prefer to use my homemade seasoning:
Homemade Cajun Seasoning: mix 2 1/2 tablespoons smoked paprika, 2 tablespoons garlic powder, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 1 tablespoon dried thyme, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder, 1-2 teaspoons cayenne pepper, 1 1/2 tablespoons salt, and 1 tablespoon black pepper. Makes 3/4 cup.
Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Thanks so much! Just made it tonight and even my 3 year old loved it! I did have one other question – 2C of water hardly covered the bottom of the pasta so I didn’t feel like it would get cooked and I ended up adding enough water to just cover the pasta and boil it that way and then added less milk at the end but I would love a little more clarification on that front for next time!
Yay!! Thank you so much for making this recipe and sharing your feedback, I’m so glad to hear it turned out well for you!🌷 As long as you are stirring the pasta, the 2 cups of water should be enough. Happy Thursday!
Hey, I’m planning to make this tonight, but I can’t seem to find your homemade ranch dressing recipe?
Hi Shayla,
You can find that recipe here:
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/essentials/#dressings_sauces
Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
looks amazing! Is there a way to make it dairy free? Thanks so much!
Thanks so much, Amanda! So sorry I have never tested making this recipe dairy free so I am not sure what adjustments would work best. xx
I just made this, dairy free! I used oat milk instead of milk, oat Turkish yoghurt for the ranch dressing (made it myself to make sure it’s dairy free), skipped the cream cheese, and used nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan. I would have used goat cheese parm, but we were all out. I know there exists vegan cream cheeses also, but I didn’t have any on hand.
Thanks so much for sharing what worked well for you, Tone!!
I, too, added more liquid to cook the pasta. This recipe is very tasty and it made the house smell so good!
Hey Michelle,
Wonderful! So glad to hear this dish turned out well for you, thanks for making it!
Super tasty and easy to make! I did add extra water to cook the pasta and it turned out great!
Hi Laura,
Happy Sunday!! I appreciate you trying this recipe and your feedback, love to hear it turned out well! xx