Copycat Cheesecake Factory Louisiana Chicken Pasta
Creamy Cajun sauce and crispy parmesan chicken come together for this delicious copycat recipe!
Despite its namesake, the Cheesecake Factory is known for more than just their cheesecake. This restaurant has all kinds of decadent dishes from soup to steak, as well as pasta and potatoes. One of my all-time favorite meals to order from the Cheesecake Factory is their Louisiana Chicken Pasta. With creamy Cajun sauce and crispy parmesan chicken, what’s not to love? Add in some pasta, and I’m in heaven!
I wanted to try making my own version since a lot of us are trying to stay in more these days. Plus, it’s always good to have a fancy dinner recipe in your back pocket in case you need to entertain guests or impress someone special. This copycat recipe turned out even better than I imagined!
There’s a bit of prep work involved with this dish, but the end result is well-worth an extra few minutes in the kitchen. I mean just look at that perfectly crisp chicken and the indulgent Cajun sauce! And really, the most laborious part of this recipe is dredging the chicken. The rest is a cake walk. (Get it?)
You’ll start by mixing together all of the ingredients for the Cajun cream sauce – chicken stock, heavy cream, parmesan cheese, as well as a blend of cajun spices and red pepper flakes. Set the sauce aside and cook the pasta according to package directions, minus one minute, setting it aside once it’s drained.
Next, get your dredging station ready. Mix flour, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs together. Dredge each piece of chicken into the breadcrumb mixture, then into the eggs, then back into the breadcrumb mixture. Lay chicken on a tray and set aside.
Sauté bell peppers, onions, garlic, and mushrooms in a cast-iron skillet. Remove cooked veggies from the pan and cook the chicken until crispy. Add everything back into the pan – veggies, pasta, and sauce – and cook for 3-5 minutes until the sauce thickens.
This is such a beautiful, delicious meal to make for a special occasion (or just because)! See the full recipe and ingredient list below.
Copycat Cheesecake Factory Louisiana Chicken Pasta
Cajun Cream Sauce:
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon cajun seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
Crispy Parmesan Chicken:
- 4 chicken breasts, butterflied
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon cajun seasoning
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 eggs
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
Pasta
- 1 lb Farfalle pasta
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 yellow bell pepper, sliced
- 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1/2 red onion sliced
- 8 ounces crimini mushrooms, sliced
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 cup parsley for garnish
Preparation
- Mix the sauce ingredients together and set aside.
- Cook pasta according to package directions, minus 1 minute. Drain but do not rinse.
- Mix flour, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs together.
- Dredge each piece of chicken into the breadcrumb mixture, then into the eggs, then back into the breadcrumb mixture. Lay chicken on a tray and set aside.
- Melt butter in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat and add the bell peppers, onion, garlic, and mushrooms. Cook for 3-5 minutes until just starting to brown. Remove the vegetables from the pan.
- Add 1/4 cup oil to the pan and cook chicken until crispy and golden brown, 3-5 minutes on each side. Remove chicken from the pan and drain the oil.
- Add pasta and vegetables to the pan, along with the sauce. Let thicken for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- While the sauce is cooking slice up the chicken. Serve with the sliced chicken on top and extra parmesan & parsley if desired.
Recipe adapted from Dinner Then Dessert.