I cracked a Cheesecake Factory copycat with my Jambalaya Pasta Recipe that swaps rice for pasta and is ready in just 30 minutes with chicken and andouille.
I can’t stop thinking about this quick, outrageously flavorful twist on pasta. I’m talking penne pasta with spicy andouille sausage, finished in a creamy, smoky sauce that somehow tastes like Louisiana on a plate.
I call it a Jambalaya Pasta Recipe because it hits all those big bold notes, and yeah folks, it might even remind you of that Cheesecake Factory favorite. I was skeptical at first, then made a huge batch and ate it for two days straight.
If you like food that’s loud and a little reckless try this Chicken And Andouille Pasta vibe, you might get hooked.
Ingredients
- Penne brings carbs for energy, some fiber, holds sauce so it’s comforting.
- Lean chicken protein that builds muscle, low fat if trimmed, soaks up spice well.
- Andouille sausage smoky pork, high in fat and protein, adds bold flavor and saltiness.
- Shrimp low calorie seafood, lots of protein and iodine but cooks super fast.
- Onion, bell pepper and celery add crunch, sweetness and savory base for the dish.
- Heavy cream gives silky richness, boosts calories and fat, mellows spicy heat.
- Cajun seasoning blend of spices that brings heat, smokiness and deep Creole flavor.
- Parmesan cheese nutty salty finish, adds umami and a little protein, melts into sauce.
Ingredient Quantities
- 12 oz penne pasta
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
- 8 oz andouille sausage, sliced
- 12 oz large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (optional)
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 tbsp Cajun seasoning
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, or more if you like it spicy
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced, for garnish
- Lemon wedges, optional
How to Make this
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the 12 oz penne to al dente according to package directions, reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta.
2. Pat the 1 lb chicken pieces dry and toss with 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, a pinch of cayenne, salt and pepper. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the chicken in batches until just cooked through, about 4-5 minutes, remove and set aside.
3. In the same skillet add the sliced 8 oz andouille and brown for 2-3 minutes, remove and set aside with the chicken. Add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter if the pan looks dry.
4. Add the diced onion, green bell pepper and celery to the skillet and sauté until softened, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in 4 cloves minced garlic and 2 tbsp tomato paste and cook 1 minute more to deepen the flavor.
5. Deglaze the pan with 1/2 cup dry white wine if using, scraping up browned bits, or use a splash of the 1 cup chicken broth. Add the 1
4.5 oz can diced tomatoes with their juices, the remaining 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp dried thyme, 1/4 tsp cayenne (or more), 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, and the rest of the chicken broth. Bring to a simmer and cook 5-7 minutes to reduce slightly.
6. Lower the heat and stir in 3/4 cup heavy cream and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan until melted and smooth, simmer just a couple minutes until the sauce thickens slightly, taste and season with salt and pepper.
7. Return the seared chicken and andouille to the sauce, then add the 12 oz peeled and deveined shrimp and cook until the shrimp are pink and opaque, about 2-3 minutes, do not overcook.
8. Add the drained penne to the skillet and toss thoroughly to coat in the sauce, use reserved pasta water a little at a time to loosen the sauce to your desired consistency.
9. Finish with 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley and the thinly sliced green onions, grate extra Parmesan over top and serve with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing. Adjust heat and seasoning if needed, serve hot.
Equipment Needed
1. Large pot for boiling the penne and reserving about 1 cup pasta water
2. Colander to drain the pasta
3. Large heavy skillet or deep sauté pan to brown the chicken and make the sauce
4. Chef’s knife for dicing onion, pepper, celery and slicing sausage and chicken
5. Cutting board (if possible keep a separate one for raw meat)
6. Wooden spoon or silicone spatula for stirring and scraping up browned bits
7. Tongs to turn the chicken/sausage and toss the pasta in the sauce
8. Measuring cups and spoons for broth, cream, tomato paste and spices
9. Microplane or box grater for fresh Parmesan (and a small bowl to hold reserved pasta water if you want to measure it)
FAQ
Easy Cajun Jambalaya Pasta Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Penne pasta: swap with rigatoni, ziti or fusilli (they catch the sauce same way), or use gluten free pasta if you need it.
- Boneless chicken breasts: use boneless skinless thighs for more juice, cubed turkey breast, or firm tofu for a vegetarian twist; rotisserie chicken is a great shortcut too.
- Andouille sausage: try smoked kielbasa, Spanish chorizo (adds more heat and smokiness), or regular smoked sausage; a plant based smoked sausage works if you want meat free.
- Heavy cream: substitute 1 cup half and half plus 2 tbsp melted butter per cup for richness, full fat coconut milk or coconut cream for dairy free, or plain Greek yogurt thinned with a little milk (add off heat so it doesn’t split).
Pro Tips
– Don’t skip patting the chicken dry and searing it in small batches, or it’ll steam and get rubbery. Let pieces get a little color, then pull them off even if not 100% done, they’ll finish cooking later.
– Warm the cream a bit and add it gently, dont let the sauce boil hard after you add dairy or it can break. Toss in a Parmesan rind while the sauce simmers for extra depth, remove the rind before serving.
– Use the reserved pasta water slowly to loosen the sauce, its starchy and will make the sauce silky without watering it down. If the sauce feels thin, simmer a minute or two with the pasta in it to bind up, dont dump all the water at once.
– Put the shrimp in last and watch them closely, they go from perfect to rubbery in like 2 minutes. Finish with a squeeze of lemon and fresh green onion right before serving, that brightens the whole dish.
Easy Cajun Jambalaya Pasta Recipe
I cracked a Cheesecake Factory copycat with my Jambalaya Pasta Recipe that swaps rice for pasta and is ready in just 30 minutes with chicken and andouille.
6
servings
792
kcal
Equipment: 1. Large pot for boiling the penne and reserving about 1 cup pasta water
2. Colander to drain the pasta
3. Large heavy skillet or deep sauté pan to brown the chicken and make the sauce
4. Chef’s knife for dicing onion, pepper, celery and slicing sausage and chicken
5. Cutting board (if possible keep a separate one for raw meat)
6. Wooden spoon or silicone spatula for stirring and scraping up browned bits
7. Tongs to turn the chicken/sausage and toss the pasta in the sauce
8. Measuring cups and spoons for broth, cream, tomato paste and spices
9. Microplane or box grater for fresh Parmesan (and a small bowl to hold reserved pasta water if you want to measure it)
Ingredients
12 oz penne pasta
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
8 oz andouille sausage, sliced
12 oz large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine (optional)
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp Cajun seasoning
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, or more if you like it spicy
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
2 green onions, thinly sliced, for garnish
Lemon wedges, optional
Directions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the 12 oz penne to al dente according to package directions, reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta.
- Pat the 1 lb chicken pieces dry and toss with 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, a pinch of cayenne, salt and pepper. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the chicken in batches until just cooked through, about 4-5 minutes, remove and set aside.
- In the same skillet add the sliced 8 oz andouille and brown for 2-3 minutes, remove and set aside with the chicken. Add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter if the pan looks dry.
- Add the diced onion, green bell pepper and celery to the skillet and sauté until softened, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in 4 cloves minced garlic and 2 tbsp tomato paste and cook 1 minute more to deepen the flavor.
- Deglaze the pan with 1/2 cup dry white wine if using, scraping up browned bits, or use a splash of the 1 cup chicken broth. Add the 1
- 5 oz can diced tomatoes with their juices, the remaining 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp dried thyme, 1/4 tsp cayenne (or more), 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, and the rest of the chicken broth. Bring to a simmer and cook 5-7 minutes to reduce slightly.
- Lower the heat and stir in 3/4 cup heavy cream and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan until melted and smooth, simmer just a couple minutes until the sauce thickens slightly, taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Return the seared chicken and andouille to the sauce, then add the 12 oz peeled and deveined shrimp and cook until the shrimp are pink and opaque, about 2-3 minutes, do not overcook.
- Add the drained penne to the skillet and toss thoroughly to coat in the sauce, use reserved pasta water a little at a time to loosen the sauce to your desired consistency.
- Finish with 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley and the thinly sliced green onions, grate extra Parmesan over top and serve with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing. Adjust heat and seasoning if needed, serve hot.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 478g
- Total number of serves: 6
- Calories: 792kcal
- Fat: 38.1g
- Saturated Fat: 15.8g
- Trans Fat: 0.6g
- Polyunsaturated: 2.5g
- Monounsaturated: 13.3g
- Cholesterol: 254mg
- Sodium: 888mg
- Potassium: 811mg
- Carbohydrates: 53g
- Fiber: 3.7g
- Sugar: 3.3g
- Protein: 52.8g
- Vitamin A: 1500IU
- Vitamin C: 17mg
- Calcium: 117mg
- Iron: 1.3mg
