Garlic Chicken Bites & Creamy Cajun Spinach Artichoke Alfredo Pasta
Craving a wow‑worthy dinner with minimal fuss? Garlic Chicken Bites & Creamy Cajun Spinach Artichoke Alfredo Pasta delivers restaurant‑level comfort in under an hour. Juicy, garlicky chicken meets twirly pasta coated in a silky Cajun Alfredo loaded with spinach and tangy artichokes. It’s a cozy, easy dinner recipe that doubles as a quick weeknight favorite and crowd‑pleasing date‑night dish—perfect for creamy pasta lovers, chicken dinners, and bold‑but‑balanced flavor seekers.
Equipment
- Large Skillet
- Stockpot
- Colander
- Chef's knife
- Cutting board
- Whisk
- Measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 12 oz rotini or fusilli pasta dry
- 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch bites
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic minced, divided
- 3 tsp Cajun seasoning divided
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 0.5 tsp black pepper freshly ground
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 4 oz cream cheese softened and cubed
- 1.25 cups Parmesan cheese grated, plus more for serving
- 4 cups fresh baby spinach roughly chopped
- 1.5 cups artichoke hearts drained and chopped
- 0.5 cup reserved pasta water as needed
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped, for garnish
- 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes optional
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice optional
Instructions
- Pat chicken dry and toss with olive oil, 3 minced garlic cloves, 2 tsp Cajun seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Sear chicken in a hot skillet over medium-high for 2–3 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Remove to a plate.
- Cook pasta in salted water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water and drain.
- In the same skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add remaining minced garlic; cook until fragrant.
- Pour in heavy cream; simmer gently. Whisk in cream cheese until smooth, then Parmesan.
- Season sauce with the remaining 1 tsp Cajun seasoning (and red pepper flakes if using). Adjust consistency with splashes of pasta water.
- Fold in spinach and artichokes; cook 1–2 minutes until spinach wilts. Add lemon juice if desired.
- Toss pasta into the sauce to coat. Return chicken and accumulated juices; warm through.
- Garnish with parsley and extra Parmesan. Serve immediately.
Notes
Don’t overcrowd the skillet when searing chicken; work in batches for best browning. To reheat leftovers, add a splash of milk or cream and warm gently until the sauce turns silky again.
Nutrition
Calories: 820kcalCarbohydrates: 56gProtein: 47gFat: 43gSaturated Fat: 22gCholesterol: 175mgSodium: 1180mgFiber: 4gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 1850IUVitamin C: 18mgCalcium: 520mgIron: 5mg
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