The Cajun Chicken Pasta Recipe You Can Make in an RV

Last year, I lived in a travel trailer for two months. This year, it’ll be closer to three months. That’s not an easy lifestyle when you love to cook. That’s why I had to share this Cajun chicken pasta recipe that I made in my trailer — super easy, not too many dishes, and oh-so-delicious.

My disclaimer is that I don’t have pretty dishes when I’m on the road. So, like you probably have your RV stocked with plastic dishes, I have some random pastel bowls plus non-coordinating plates and flatware.

I confess all this because you can see my ugly green bowl in the food photos below. Yikes. Oh well. I assure you, this Cajun chicken pasta tastes amazing even in an ugly bowl. Which is great, because that’s a prerequisite for an acceptable RV recipe, yes?

How to make RV-friendly Cajun chicken pasta

So let’s get to it. Here’s how to make Cajun chicken pasta in your RV or travel trailer, starting with the equipment you need:

• A stovetop that’ll boil water, so you can cook the pasta.
• A deep pot for cooking the pasta and a colander.
• An oven, grill, or tabletop smoker to cook the chicken.
• A bowl to mix the other ingredients.
• A knife to slice some onions and the chicken once it’s cooked.

These are the ingredients:

• Two chicken breasts
• A 12-oz. box of dried pasta (linguine is a good choice, but I used the Rotini I had on hand)
• 3 green onions
• ½ cup chopped sundried tomatoes (buy them already chopped if you can)
• ½ teaspoon each of dried Basil and pepper
• 2 teaspoons or more of Cajun seasoning (I keep this in my trailer pantry)
• Chicken broth (I used bullion cubes which I keep in my trailer pantry)

Step 1. Season and cook the chicken

If you’re using a grill, heat it up. I used a tabletop pellet grill set at 375F.

Coat your chicken with the Cajun seasoning, using more or less depending on your spice tolerance. The simplest way to do this is to place your chicken breast in a resealable bag, add the seasoning, seal the bag, and shake it.

I seasoned whole chicken breasts, but you could also slice it first and then season it. That would deliver a more intense flavor, but the slices are harder to cook on a grill.

Place your seasoned chicken on the grill and cook until it reaches an internal temperature of 165F or 75C. This should take 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the size and thickness of your chicken.

When the chicken is fully cooked, let it rest for a couple minutes and then slice.

Step 2. Prep sauce and pasta

Place a deep pot of salted water on the stovetop on high. While your water heats, slice the green onions, chop your sundried tomatoes, and measure the dried basil, pepper, and garlic powder into a bowl. You can also add your broth or bouillon cubes and water to the same bowl.

Once your water boils, add your pasta and cook until it’s slightly underdone. Drain and rinse.

Leave your pasta in the colander for now. Place your sauce ingredients in the pot over medium-high heat. Bring it to a simmer.

In the bowl that formerly contained the sauce ingredients, mix 1 tablespoon of tapioca flour or cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water. Add that to your sauce in the pot and let the mixture thicken slightly.

Step 3. Combine and serve

Return the pasta to the hot pot with the sauce. Cook the pasta in the sauce until it reaches your desired level of doneness.

Place pasta on places and top with chicken slices and parmesan cheese.

What to serve with Cajun chicken pasta

The beauty of this pasta is that it doesn’t need a side dish. Because making a three-course meal is tough when you’re camping. But if you want to have something with it try grilled garlic bread, Caesar salad, roasted veggies, or cornbread.

And don’t forget the wine! You could pair this recipe with a medium-bodied red wine such as Zinfandel, Syrah, or Pinot Noir a light-bodied red like a Grenache or a Tempranillo. If you like white wine, choose Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio.

For dessert, try Kimberly’s No Bake Avalanche Cookies — no oven required!

Substitutions for Cajun chicken pasta

Pasta

You’ll see in the photos that I used ZenB rotini pasta. ZenB pasta is made entirely from yellow peas. It has more fiber and protein — and fewer carbs — than regular pasta. This is the best non-traditional pasta on the market. If you rinse it after cooking, the taste is very similar to regular pasta.

ZENB Plant Based Rotini, Elbow, and Penne Variety Pack Pasta – Made From 100% Yellow Peas, Gluten Free, Non-GMO & Vegan, 20g of Protein & 12g of Fiber In Each Serving – (Pack of 3)

• ZENB…Eat Like it Matters – Our Gluten-Free & Non-GMO pastas have the same great taste and texture as your wheat pasta night pantry staples – only with added plant-powered nutrition in every serving! That’s a yellow pea twist on your everyday traditional pasta dishes. Better for you pasta – what’s better than that?
• Yellow Peas? Yes Please – Our pasta is made from 100% yellow peas, using as much of the entire pea as possible. That means our pasta is Gluten-Free, Non-GMO, & Vegan – plus we use no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. Now that’s a heavy lift for a classic mealtime staple that’s ready in just 12 -15 minutes – No more compromise on non-wheat pastas.
• So, What’s in the Box? – How about rediscovering the possibilities of pasta meals with nutrient packed yellow pea pastas? Yeah, your friends and family will thank you. What’s better than that? You get 1 box of each of our fan favorites (Penne, Rotini, and Elbows) in every order – Give your traditional pasta dishes a yellow pea upgrade.
• We’re Pasta With A Purpose – Our planet has lots of options to nourish and sustain us. Too often, we only use some of what we grow and get rid of the rest – At ZENB, we harness the goodness of nature leading to plant-based products with simple ingredients, using as much of the whole plant as possible…skin, seeds, stem, and all. With ZENB, we encourage you to eat like it matters.
• Positive Impact on You & The Planet — The yellow peas used in our pasta come from North American farms. As cover crops that are harvested only once a year, they increase available nitrogen in the soil, making the earth they grow in healthier for the next crops! Yellow peas also sip instead of gulp down water like other crops like wheat! This makes it easier on farms and better for the planet.

$19

See details on Amazon

A sidenote for RVers and campers: ZenB makes a quick-cook pasta called Pasta Agile. It cooks in two minutes in your sauce, which is super convenient. I haven’t tried yet, but you could probably make it over a campfire.

But if you’re a traditionalist, use regular pasta. Linguine is a good choice for this recipe, but any shape of noodle will do (except for lasagna of course).

Thickener

I used tapioca flour to thicken the sauce, but cornstarch works too.  

Sauce base

This recipe easily converts into a creamy Cajun chicken pasta. Simply use heavy cream instead of the broth and skip the thickening agent. You may need to add some salt at the end, because the broth naturally makes the dish saltier.

Meat

You could swap in pork tenderloin for the chicken if that’s what you have on hand.

Continue to Content

Yield: 4 servings

Cajun Chicken Pasta Recipe

Print

This recipe is RV-friendly! I cooked it in my travel trailer (using a tabletop pellet grill to cook the chicken).

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 12 oz. linguine or pasta of your choice
• 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced
• 3 cups chicken broth (or heavy whipping cream for creamy sauce)
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese (or more to taste)
• 1 tablespoon tapioca flour or cornstarch

Instructions

1. Heat your grill.
2. Place chicken breasts in a resealable bag with Cajun seasoning and shake it up to coat the chicken.
3. Grill the chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 165F or 75C. When it's done, let it rest for a few minutes and then slice. Cover with foil to keep warm.
4. Meanwhile, place a pot of salted water on the stovetop over high heat.
5. Slice onions and tomatoes.
6. Mix onions, tomatoes, garlic powder, black pepper, basil, and chicken broth in a bowl.
7. Cook pasta according to directions, to be slightly underdone. Drain and rinse.
8. Add the onions and seasonings mixture to the hot pot over medium heat. Bring to a simmer.
9. Mix 1 tablespoon tapioca flour and 2 tablespoons water in a bowl. Add this to the simmering sauce. Let the sauce simmer and thicken for a few minutes.
10. Return the pasta to the pot and cook it in the sauce until it's done.
11. Serve pasta on plates, topped with sliced chicken and Parmesan cheese.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 240Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 935mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 2gSugar: 3gProtein: 20g

Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.

Last update on 2024-12-03 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API