I was trying to clean out the fridge one afternoon, found some heavy cream I needed to use up, a pack of chicken breasts, and a half-used thing of Cajun seasoning tucked in the back of the spice cabinet. You know the drill — the usual, “What can I throw together that doesn’t involve standing at the stove for an hour?”
This dish came out of that moment. It’s creamy, a little spicy, and hearty enough to make everyone at the table happy. It’s also a one-pot deal (okay, plus a skillet), and I didn’t have to boil the pasta separately — and I’ll be honest, that’s always a win in my book.
We’ve been calling it “lazy Alfredo with a kick.” You’ll see why.
What you’ll need (no surprises here):
-
chicken breasts (about a pound, boneless skinless)
-
smoked sausage (a full package — I like it cut into thick rounds)
-
olive oil (just a little for searing)
-
heavy cream (don’t swap this, the richness is key)
-
chicken broth (balances out all that cream)
-
butter (I just eyeball a few tablespoons)
-
Cajun seasoning (whatever brand you like — some are spicier than others)
-
garlic (I smashed two cloves, didn’t even bother mincing)
-
penne pasta (uncooked, it goes right in)
-
water + cornstarch (for thickening at the end)
-
mozzarella + parmesan (it’s Alfredo, after all)
-
salt, pepper, and maybe a pinch of garlic powder if you’re like me
-
parsley if you’re feeling fancy, or trying to impress someone
Directions:
Start by seasoning your chicken with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Nothing fancy. Heat up a skillet with a splash of olive oil and sear the chicken on both sides. Just enough to get some color — it’s going in the slow cooker to finish.
Toss that chicken into the crockpot. Add the sliced sausage, heavy cream, broth, butter, garlic, Cajun seasoning… and maybe another dash of salt if your broth is low-sodium. Stir it once or twice so the butter melts in somewhere.
Cover and let it cook low and slow for about 4 hours (or on high for 2½ to 3). Once the chicken hits 165°F, pull it out and let it rest while you move on to the pasta.
Now — stir in your uncooked penne and about half a cup of hot water. Put the lid back on and cook on high for about 30 minutes, maybe 40, depending on your slow cooker. Stir once or twice, otherwise the pasta sticks to the bottom.
While that’s cooking, slice up your chicken. Once the pasta’s tender, whisk together the cornstarch and a little water in a small cup, then stir it into the slow cooker to thicken up the sauce. It takes just a few minutes.
Finally, stir in the cheeses and sliced chicken. Give everything a good mix. If it looks too thick, splash in a bit more broth. If it looks too thin, give it a few minutes with the lid off.
Sprinkle a little extra Cajun seasoning on top. A handful of chopped parsley if you’ve got it. Done.
Notes from my kitchen:
-
I’ve made this with rotisserie chicken in a pinch. Skip the searing, just stir it in at the end with the cheese.
-
If you don’t like sausage (weird, but okay), just leave it out.
-
Works fine with ziti or rigatoni instead of penne. I wouldn’t use spaghetti — it gets clumpy.
-
One time I accidentally used the “extra hot” Cajun blend — no one noticed until they’d already gone back for seconds.
