These Creamy Dairy Free Cajun Chicken Pasta is now a favorite in my house. The creamy cashew cream combined with the cajun chicken and pasta is seriously to die for. The second best part about this recipe aside from the taste is how easy it is! This recipe only takes 30 minutes to make and only requires 15 minutes of hands-on time, it is truly the most perfect weeknight dinner.
This recipe is so delicious and packed with so much flavor. I love the pops of freshness from the peas as well! If you are looking for a lower carb option, you could substitute the pasta for Spaghetti Squash instead! If you are not a fan of cajun sauce, the base of this recipe would also taste great with my Dairy Free Pesto Sauce. If you enjoy this pasta dish, you will also enjoy my Gluten Free Ravioli as well!
Jump to:
What Makes This Recipe So Good?
- First off, it only requires 15 minutes or prep time which means that it makes for a perfect weeknight meal.
- Secondly, I love meal prepping with this meal because it reheats so well!
- Third, the seasonings on this chicken are unreal-so good! I love the cajun flavoring.
- The creamy cashew cream in this recipe is SO good, no one can even tell it is dairy free.
- This recipe is naturally dairy free, gluten free, Whole30 friendly and can be made keto friendly if you use zucchini noodles.
- I am just obsessed with one pot casserole recipes lately and this recipe reminds me so much of my favorite Whole30 Sloppy Joe Bowls.
- This recipe can be on the table within 30 minutes so you do not have to wait around for dinner to be ready.
Recipe Ingredients:
For the chicken-
- Chicken breasts- I love using the chicken breasts from Butcher Box. They offer the best quality proteins shipped right to your door every month. I can truly taste a difference in their protein vs conventionally raised proteins.
- Peas-I like using frozen peas but you can also use fresh peas.
- Yellow onions-I like yellow onions for this recipe because they are nice and sweet.
- Fire roasted tomatoes-You can make homemade fire roasted tomatoes by roasting tomatoes in the oven or you can buy canned store bought. Just make sure there are not any additives.
- Green onions-For taste.
- Bone broth-To turn thin out the sauce a bit.
- Ghee-To make the chicken and saute the onions.
For the cashew cheese sauce-
- Cashews-A must!
- Bone broth-To help make the cheesy sauce.
- Garlic powder-To add a garlic touch to the cashew cheese.
- Nutritional yeast-To give the cheese sauce a cheesy flavor.
- Lemon juice-To taste. This gives a nice acidic touch to the sauce without going overboard.
For the cajun seasoning-
- Paprika, black pepper & cayenne-A must in cajun seasoning! This gives the recipe a nice kick.
- Garlic, onion, sea salt-For flavor.
How To Make:
Step 1-
- First, cook the pasta according to the instructions on the box. Make sure you are constantly stirring the pasta to prevent it from sticking.
Step 2-
- Next, add the ghee or butter to your pan on medium heat. It is important to get the pan real hot.
- While the pan is getting hot, chop up your chicken into 1 inch cubes.
Step 3-
- Mix the cajun seasoning in a bowl.
Step 4-
- Add the chicken to the bowl with the seasonings and mix well.
Step 5-
- Add the seasoned chicken to the pan and sear it for 2 minutes on each side for a total of 4 minutes. Then add in the onions and saute for 2 more minutes.
Step 6-
- While everything is sauteing, add all of the cashew cheese ingredients to the blender and blend for 3-4 minutes.
Step 7-
- Now add the roasted tomatoes, broth, green onions, cheese sauce, and peas to the dish and simmer.
Step 8-
- To serve, add the pasta to the dish and serve the chicken sauce on top. Garnish with optional red pepper flakes.
Recipe Frequently Asked Questions-
What is Cajun Food?
- Cajun food was developed in Louisiana and is a mix between Spanish and French cooking. While a lot of people think of cajun food as spicy food, it does have some spice in it but most importantly it is just heavily seasoned-think of lots of herbs, garlic, salt, and pepper. The heavy seasonings are what makes Cajun food so darn tasty!
How Can I Make This Meal For Meal Prep?
- When meal prepping this meal make sure you cook the noodles al dente. This would prevent the noodles from getting mushy.
How Can I Reheat This?
- I suggest reheating on the stovetop for 5-10 minutes with some ghee.
Chef’s Tips-
- When you are pan searing the chicken, be sure NOT to cook it all the way through as it will continue to cook when you add in the broth.
If you like this recipe, you will love my other favorite dairy free recipes:
If you enjoyed this recipe it would mean the world to me if you rated it and left a comment below. It helps others find it on google.xoxo-Allianna
Dairy Free Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
Equipment
- pasta pot
Ingredients
- 1 box spaghetti I love Jovial gluten free cassava noodles. Use zucchini noodles for keto/ low carb
- 1.5 cups frozen peas
- 1 pound chicken breasts chopped into 1 inch cubes
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 15 ounces fire roasted tomatoes
- 1/3 cup green onions chopped
- 3/4 cup bone broth
- 2 tbsp ghee or butter if you tolerate that
For the cashew "cheese" sauce:
- 1 cup bone broth
- 1.5 cups cashews
- 1.5 tsp garlic powder
- 1.5 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2 lemons juiced
For the cajun seasoning:
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Add all of the cashew cheese ingredients to a blender and blend on high speed for 4 minutes. Next, cook the pasta according to the instructions on the box. Then drain and set the cashew cheese and pasta aside.
- Mix all of the spices together then add the chicken cubes in the seasoning. Add the ghee or butter to your skillet and turn the skillet on medium heat. Wait until the skillet is very hot and add the chicken in for 2 minutes on each side for a total of 4 minutes. The chicken does not need to be cooked all the way through at this point. Now add in the onions with the chicken and sautee for 2 more minutes.
- Now add in the roasted tomatoes, peas, bone broth, and cashew cheese to the dish and allow to simmer. Now add in the pasta. Top off with green onions and optional red pepper flakes. If you enjoyed this recipe it would mean the world to me if you rated it and left a comment below. It helps others find it on google.xoxo-Allianna
Notes
- When meal prepping this meal make sure you cook the noodles al dente.
Lori says
This is SO good. The chicken is so flavorful and the “cheese” is amazing in this!