Cheesecake Factory Louisiana Chicken Pasta (Copycat)

6 servings
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes

Spot on Cheesecake Factory Copycat Louisiana Chicken Pasta recipe with their addicting spicy Cajun cream sauce and crispy breaded chicken!

If there is a ranking list of the Cheesecake Factory menu, their popular Cajun Jambalaya Pasta is on it. But that’s not their only spicy Pasta Recipe! This Louisiana Chicken Pasta has the same bold flavors plus crispy chicken – it’s definitely a must try!

Pasta in sauce and chicken plated in bowl.

Sabrina’s Louisiana Chicken Pasta Copycat

There are so many winning dishes across all categories on The Cheesecake Factory menu, it’s truly hard to pick a top recipe. My personal go-to order is Spicy Cashew Chicken with some Tamale Corn Cakes to start. And what table order would be complete without the iconic Avocado Egg Rolls? But I have to tell you – their Louisiana Chicken Pasta is a sleeper pick!

What’s so great about this dish? Well first of all the chicken is super crispy, and well seasoned with Cajun spices and Parmesan Cheese. The sauce is creamy with more Cajun bite and the veggies add some nice texture. And while it does have a long list of ingredients and steps, I promise, this amazing pasta is easier than you’d think to make at home.

Detailed Instructions

Time needed: 40 minutes.

  1. Mix Sauce

    In a medium bowl, add the sauce ingredients. Whisk together until combined. Set aside for now.

  2. Cook Pasta

    Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook the pasta for a minute less than the package instructions for al dente. Drain the pasta but do not rinse it.

  3. Breading Station

    In one shallow bowl, combine the flour, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, salt and pepper. In a second shallow bowl, whisk the eggs until you don’t see any streaks of egg white. Have a parchment lined baking tray to rest the chicken.

  4. Coat the Chicken

    Dredge a piece of chicken in the breadcrumb mixture. Dip completely into the eggs, then return it to the breadcrumb mixture, turning to coat completely. Set the chicken on the baking tray and repeat with the rest of the chicken.

  5. Saute the Veggies

    In a large cast iron skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the bell peppers, onion, garlic, and mushrooms. Saute for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally until they are starting to brown but not softened fully. Transfer veggies from the pan to a plate.

  6. Fry the Chicken

    Add ¼ cup of oil to the pan. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken and cook for 3-5 minutes on each side, until it’s crispy and golden brown. Place the chicken on a wire cooling rack or baking sheet.

  7. Sauce

    Drain the oil from the pan. Add the pasta, veggies and sauce mixture to the pan. Stir occasionally for 3-5 minutes while the sauce gets hot and thickens.

  8. Serve

    While the sauce cooks, slice the chicken into strips. Plate the pasta in a shallow bowl or pasta dish. Arrange the chicken pieces over the top and serve with extra Parmesan and freshly chopped parsley.

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Louisiana Chicken Pasta (Cheesecake Factory Copycat)

Spot on Cheesecake Factory Copycat Louisiana Chicken Pasta recipe with their addicting spicy Cajun cream sauce and crispy breaded chicken!
Yield 6 servings
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Dinner
Cuisine American
Author Sabrina Snyder

Ingredients
 

CAJUN CREAM SAUCE

  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon Kosher 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
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese , grated
  • 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 large 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 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1/4 cup parsley , for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  • Mix the Sauce ingredients together and set aside.
  • Set a large pot of water to boil and cook the pasta to a minute shy of what is listed on the box.
  • Drain but do not rinse.
  • Mix the flour, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, Kosher salt and black pepper together in one bowl.
  • In a second bowl whisk the eggs.
  • Dredge each piece of chicken into the breadcrumb mixture, then into the eggs, and finally back into the breadcrumb mixture.*
  • Let chicken sit on a tray while you cook the vegetables.
  • Melt butter in 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 but not break down.
  • Remove the vegetables from the pan.
  • Add the ¼ cup oil and let it get hot. Cook the chicken until crispy and golden brown, 3-5 minutes on each side.
  • Remove the chicken from the pan and drain the oil.
  • Add the pasta and vegetables to the pan with the sauce mixture.
  • Let thicken and stir for 3-5 minutes.
  • While the sauce is cooking slice up the chicken.
  • Serve the pasta with the sliced chicken on top and extra Parmesan as desired.

Notes

*The first pass will leave mostly flour on the chicken, that is what we need, just to adhere the eggs, so don’t worry.

Nutrition

Calories: 1089kcal | Carbohydrates: 84g | Protein: 61g | Fat: 56g | Saturated Fat: 28g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 276mg | Sodium: 1242mg | Potassium: 1192mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 2420IU | Vitamin C: 38mg | Calcium: 437mg | Iron: 4mg

How to Butterfly Chicken Breast

  • Start with a boneless skinless chicken breast flat on a cutting board.
  • Using a sharp large chef’s knife, start along the long side of the breast.
  • Place your knife half way up the breast (from the cutting board) and carefully cut through the one side to the other long side, stopping before you cut through fully.
  • Use one hand to gently press down on the breast to anchor it as you are cutting.
  • You should be able to open the breast like a book but have it be one large, thin piece.
  • Using a meat mallet, gently pound the halves in any larger areas so that they are even across.

Chef’s Note: Copycat Recipes

I love creating copycat recipes because it lets my readers try a new dish at home without that “order regret”. If you are like me, I have my go-to dishes at most places. It’s hard to try something new because what if it ends up not as good as our usual order? In fact, I only discovered this tasty pasta because my husband decided to be adventurous, which let me finally give it a try. I filled my Copycat Catalog with spot-on recipes so you can recreate your usual order or discover a new favorite that tastes as good (if not better) as the restaurant!

Can this be made ahead?

You can make some parts of this recipe ahead of time but I would suggest breading the chicken and cooking everything all at once. This will give you the crispiest coating and the best flavor since cooking it all in the same pan builds the flavors. Combine the sauce ingredients and make the dry breading mixture and keep them in separate containers in the fridge. This will save you a bit of prep time when you actually start making dinner.

Homemade Cajun Spice Blend

If you have a cabinet full of spices and you’re looking to make your own Cajun spice mix, here is an easy Cajun Spice Blend!

  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 ½ teaspoons dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

More Cheesecake Factory Copycat Recipes

Collage of pasta plated in bowls with chicken.
Close up of cooked pasta in sauce.
Finished pasta and chicken in bowl, closer view.
Cooked pasta and chicken in bowl
Bowl of finished pasta and sliced chicken.
Close up view of sauced pasta and chicken.

About the Author: Sabrina Snyder

Sabrina is a professionally trained Private Chef of over 10 years with ServSafe Manager certification in food safety. She creates all the recipes here on Dinner, then Dessert, fueled in no small part by her love for bacon.

Sabrina Snyder is a professionally trained personal and private chef of over 10 years who is the creator and developer of all the recipes on Dinner, then Dessert.

She is also the author of the cookbook Dinner, then Dessert – Satisfying Meals Using Only 3, 5 or 7 Ingredients, published by Harper Collins.

She started Dinner, then Dessert as a business in her office as a lunch service for her coworkers who admired her lunches before going to culinary school and becoming a full time personal chef and private chef.

As a personal chef Sabrina would cook for families one day a week and cook their entire week of dinners. All grocery shopping, cooking and cleaning was done along with instructions on reheating. As a private chef she cooked for private parties and cooked in family homes in the evenings for families on a nightly basis after working as a personal chef during the day.

Sabrina has been certified as a ServSafe Manager since 2007 and was a longstanding member of the USPCA Personal Chef Association including being on the board of the Washington DC Chapter of Chefs in the US Personal Chef Association when they won Chapter of the year.

As a member of the community of food website creators Sabrina Snyder has spoken at many conferences regarding her experiences as a food writer including the Indulge Food Conference, Everything Food Conference, Haven Food Conference and IACP Annual Food Professionals Conference.

Sabrina lives with her family in sunny California.

Dinner, then Dessert, Inc. owns the copyright on all images and text and does not allow for its original recipes and pictures to be reproduced anywhere other than at this site unless authorization is given. Read my disclosure and copyright policy. This post may contain affiliate links.

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Comments

  1. this recipe is delicious, but personally, the order of cooking isn’t optimal, in my opinion. it’s best to cook the chicken first, then cook the veggies in the same pan after, add the sauce and pasta. much more logical and easier!

  2. FOLLOWED THIS RECIPE PRETTY CLOSE AND IT CAME OUT GREAT!

    TOOK ME A LITTLE LONGER THEN SUGGESTED BUT STILL REALLY WORTH THE EFFORT. WILL MAKE AGAIN SOON. THANK YOU FOR SENDING

  3. Pretty close copycat. This is a keeper. I think I will add more salt to the breading next time and Hammer the chicken breast thinner. Delicious.

  4. In my opinion your recipe is better than Cheesecake Factory!! It took a little longer prepping than other recipes BUT it is so worth it!!! I’ll add more veggies and maybe some spinach next time but this will definitely be in our rotation. Thank you for sharing with us!!!!

    1. Thanks Rose! Appreciate your kind words and thank you for the five star review!

  5. I worked at The Cheesecake Factory for 6 years and this was one of my favorite dishes. I can tell you this tastes exactly like the restaurant dish. Maybe even better. Thank you for posting.

  6. This tastes just like the restaurant version, thank you! We love a lot of sauce however, so next time, I will double the sauce recipe. Definitely saving this one for our meal rotation.

  7. Super delicious with the adaptations I made to the recipe. I definitely used more veggies and threw in some spinach too. I used some Asiago cheese in the pasta to add some nuttiness. Fresh squeezed lemon juice to bright up the flavors. I also used my homemade Cajun seasoning with a bit of Italian seasoning as well. I did put some Cajun seasoning in the coating of the chicken too. I definitely think the recipe is a good base to add upon.