A sultry Cajun dinner can often do wonders to spice up a dull day. Cajun food is known for its outstanding bursts of flavor, and this recipe for slow cooker Cajun pasta is no exception. Typically calling for more ingredients than we like to splurge on, Cajun food is one of the true highlights of American cuisine. With chicken, pasta, Cajun seasoning and freshly squeezed lemon juice, you will be hard-pressed to find a pasta dish that is packed with as much flavor as this one!
This recipe calls for linguine, but you can also substitute in penne pasta (you may have to up the cooking time by 15 minutes if substituting thicker pasta). For added richness, stir in 1/2 cup of cream 15 minutes before the pasta is done. This recipe is also a brilliant no-boil pasta recipe, allowing you to sit back, relax and enjoy the fruits of (barely any) labor!
Slow Cooker Cajun Pasta
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Cooktop Cove
8 ounces linguine, uncooked
1 pound chicken breast, ½-inch diced
1 24-ounce jar marinara sauce
3 tablespoons tomato paste
½ cup chicken stock
1½ tabelspoons Cajun seasoning
1 lemon, juiced and zested
2 tomatoes, rough chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 bunch fresh parsley, rough chopped
Directions
1. Quickly brown the chicken breast in a frying pan over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set to one side.
2. Mix marina sauce and tomato paste together in a 6-quart slow cooker. Add chicken stock, Cajun seasoning, lemon zest, lemon juice, tomatoes, garlic, salt and pepper. Break the linguine to fit into the slow cooker, and then mix into sauce. Be sure that all the pasta is lying flat, with none sticking up.
3. Place the chicken on top of the noodles in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 1 hour, 45 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked. Serve immediately, garnished with grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley
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4. For a more al dente pasta, cook separately according to package, and then stir in immediately after cooking is finished.
Note: All slow cookers are a little bit different in temperature and calibration. This recipe was tested in Cooktop Cove's Test Kitchen using this slow cooker, which is available for purchase here. Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which help support our website.