Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta Soup (Print-Friendly Version)
Rich, velvety soup with Cajun-blackened chicken, ditalini pasta, and freshly grated parmesan in a tomato cream broth.
# Ingredients You'll Need:
→ Base
01 -
2 tablespoons butter
02 -
1 small white onion, chopped
03 -
4 cloves garlic, minced
04 -
2 tablespoons cajun seasoning, divided
→ Liquids
05 -
5 cups chicken stock (or 4 cups chicken stock + 1 cup water)
06 -
1 can (14.5-ounce) diced tomatoes, undrained
07 -
1 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
→ Protein & Pasta
08 -
1 pound chicken breasts or tenders
09 -
1 cup ditalini or other small pasta, dry
→ Finishing
10 -
1 tablespoon neutral oil
11 -
1 cup freshly grated parmesan, at room temperature
12 -
Salt and pepper, to taste
13 -
Green onions, sliced, for garnish
# How to Make It:
01 -
Heat butter in large dutch oven over medium-high heat. When butter is melted, add onions and garlic. Sauté approximately 5 minutes or until aromatics are tender and fragrant, then stir in 1 tablespoon cajun seasoning.
02 -
Remove pot from heat and stir in broth, diced tomatoes, and heavy cream. Return pot to heat and bring mixture to boil, then reduce heat to medium and let liquids come to rapid simmer.
03 -
Pour dry pasta into dutch oven and stir well. Cook 10 minutes, stirring regularly and making sure to scrape bottom of pot to prevent sticking or burning.
04 -
While pasta cooks, sprinkle remaining 1 tablespoon cajun seasoning over chicken, covering all sides.
05 -
Heat small skillet over medium heat. Once pan is hot, pour in 1 tablespoon neutral oil and rotate pan to cover surface with oil. Add seasoned chicken to skillet. Cook 3 to 5 minutes, then flip chicken and cook on other side another 3 to 5 minutes.
06 -
Transfer chicken to cutting board and let cool to touch, then chop chicken into bite-sized pieces.
07 -
Reduce heat under dutch oven to low. Remove pot from heat and stir in grated parmesan until well combined. Return pot to low heat and stir in chicken pieces, then let soup simmer 2 to 3 minutes.
08 -
Taste soup and add salt and pepper to taste. Portion soup into serving bowls. Garnish with sliced green onions if desired and serve warm.
# Tips and Suggestions:
01 -
For best results, use thinly-sliced chicken breasts or tenders to maximize seasoning surface area and reduce cooking time to about 5 minutes total.
02 -
Freshly grated parmesan cheese from a block melts much better than pre-packaged grated cheese, which contains anti-clumping agents.
03 -
For a low-carb/keto version, substitute palmini noodles for traditional pasta (rinse well before adding) and verify diced tomatoes have no added sugars.