Cajun Chicken and Sausage Pastalya
Cajun Chicken and Sausage Pastalya takes everything you love about a classic jambalaya and spins it into a creamy, hearty pasta dish. Packed with smoky sausage, tender chicken, and the signature Cajun trinity of onion, celery, and bell pepper, it’s a one-pot comfort meal that’s bold, flavorful, and perfect for feeding a crowd. Each bite is loaded with Creole spices and rich, savory sauce that clings to every piece of pasta.
Have your sausage sliced, chicken cubed, and vegetables chopped before heating your pot—once you start cooking, this dish moves quickly. Using a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot gives you the perfect sear on the sausage and chicken while helping develop that flavorful fond (those browned bits at the bottom) that takes the sauce to the next level.
What You Need To Make Cajun Chicken and Sausage Pastalya
You’ll find the exact ingredient amounts in the recipe card, but here’s the list:
- Pasta of choice (bow tie works beautifully)
- Smoked or andouille sausage
- Chicken thighs or breasts
- Onion, celery, bell pepper
- Creole minced garlic
- Olive oil or bacon grease
- Chicken broth
- Tomato paste
- Cream of chicken soup
- Trinity seasoning
- Creole or Cajun seasoning
- Salt and pepper
- Roasted chicken bouillon
- Bay leaves
How To Make Cajun Chicken and Sausage Pastalya
1
In a Dutch oven, brown the sliced sausage in oil or bacon grease, then remove.
2
Add chicken to the pot, season with salt, pepper, and Creole seasoning, and cook through. Remove and set aside.
3
Sauté onion, celery, bell pepper, garlic, and trinity seasoning in the same pot for 3–5 minutes, scraping up any browned bits.
4
Stir in tomato paste, then cream of chicken soup. Cook for about 5 minutes, adding remaining seasonings.
5
Return sausage and chicken to the pot along with dry pasta, chicken broth, bouillon, and bay leaves. Stir to combine.
6
Cover and cook on medium, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender. Adjust seasoning to taste and serve hot.
Cajun Chicken and Sausage Pastalya
Ingredients
- 1 lb pasta of choice bow tie works great
- 1 lb smoked or andouille sausage or combo, sliced
- 4 –5 chicken thighs or 3 large chicken breasts cubed
- ½ onion diced
- 2 celery sticks diced
- 1 bell pepper diced
- 2 tbsp Creole minced garlic
- 1 tbsp olive oil or bacon grease for browning meat
- 32 oz chicken broth
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 can cream of chicken soup
- 3 tbsp trinity seasoning
- 2 –3 tbsp Creole or Cajun seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tsp roasted chicken bouillon paste
- 3 –5 bay leaves
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven, heat oil or bacon grease over medium heat. Add sausage slices and brown on both sides. Remove and set aside, leaving the grease in the pot.
- Add chicken, season with salt, pepper, and 2 tbsp Creole seasoning, and cook until done. Remove and set aside.
- Add onion, celery, bell pepper, garlic, and trinity seasoning to the pot. Cook for 3–5 minutes, scraping up browned bits from the bottom.
- Stir in tomato paste and cream of chicken soup. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add remaining seasonings.
- Return sausage and chicken to the pot along with dry pasta, chicken broth, bouillon, and bay leaves. Stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender. Add more broth if needed.
- Adjust seasoning to taste and serve hot.
