Cajun Blackened Chicken Alfredo (Printable)

Tender blackened chicken over fettuccine in a creamy, flavorful sauce with a spicy Cajun kick.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
03 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Pasta

04 - 12 oz fettuccine pasta
05 - Salt, for boiling water

→ Alfredo Sauce

06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
09 - 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
10 - 1/2 cup whole milk
11 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
12 - Pinch of cayenne pepper

→ Garnish

13 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
14 - Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

# How-to Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook fettuccine according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
02 - Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Sprinkle Cajun seasoning evenly over both sides of each breast, pressing gently to adhere.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook 5–6 minutes per side until blackened and cooked through (internal temperature reaches 165°F). Remove from pan and let rest 5 minutes, then slice thinly.
04 - In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium. Add butter and garlic; sauté 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.
05 - Pour in heavy cream and milk. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring frequently to prevent scorching.
06 - Stir in Parmesan cheese until melted and sauce thickens slightly, about 2–3 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste.
07 - Add cooked fettuccine to the sauce, tossing to coat evenly. If needed, add reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.
08 - Divide pasta among serving plates. Top with sliced blackened chicken. Garnish with chopped parsley and additional grated Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Pointers:

01 -
  • The spicy seared chicken against that velvety Alfredo sauce creates the most incredible flavor contrast
  • It comes together in under an hour but tastes like something from a fancy Italian restaurant
  • The Cajun seasoning transforms ordinary chicken breasts into something extraordinary
02 -
  • Do not overcrowd the pan when searing the chicken or it will steam instead of blacken, cook in two batches if needed
  • The sauce will look thin at first but thickens beautifully as the cheese melts and it simmers for those few minutes
  • If your sauce breaks or looks grainy, whisk in a tiny bit more cold cream and it will come back together
03 -
  • Let your chicken rest for the full five minutes before slicing, otherwise all those juices will run out onto the cutting board instead of staying in the meat
  • Room temperature cream incorporates more smoothly into sauces, so take it out of the fridge while you prep everything else

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