Cajun Chicken Pasta Creamy (Print Version)
Creamy cheese, Cajun-spiced chicken, and tender pasta come together for an easy weeknight comfort meal.
# Ingredients:
→ Chicken
01 -
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 -
2 tablespoons flour
03 -
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
04 -
1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast
→ Pasta and Sauce
05 -
225 grams penne pasta
06 -
60 grams shredded cheddar cheese
07 -
60 grams shredded mozzarella cheese
08 -
280 grams canned diced tomatoes with green chilies, drained
09 -
1 teaspoon honey
10 -
2 teaspoons hot sauce
11 -
180 millilitres chicken broth
12 -
300 millilitres half-and-half (mix of milk and cream)
13 -
1 tablespoon tomato paste
14 -
2 tablespoons flour
15 -
3 cloves garlic, minced
16 -
3 tablespoons butter
17 -
60 millilitres dry white wine
→ Seasonings
18 -
Pinch of cayenne pepper
19 -
Pinch of red pepper flakes
20 -
0.5 teaspoon mustard powder
21 -
0.5 teaspoon dried oregano
22 -
0.5 teaspoon dried basil
23 -
0.5 teaspoon onion powder
24 -
1 teaspoon brown sugar
25 -
1.5 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
→ For Serving
26 -
Chopped fresh cilantro
# Steps:
01 -
Top everything off with some cilantro and dig in right away.
02 -
Toss the drained noodles into the sauce. Mix it all up. Add your sliced chicken and give it a couple minutes to get hot. Splash in the pasta cooking water if you want things saucier.
03 -
With the heat on low, sprinkle in both cheeses a little at a time. Keep stirring so it becomes silky smooth.
04 -
Drop the penne noodles into your boiling water. Follow the box instructions until al dente. Before draining, scoop out about 240 millilitres of that starchy water for later.
05 -
Slowly pour in the creamy mixture you set aside earlier, stirring all the time. When it lightly bubbles, turn the heat down. Add in those drained tomatoes and let things simmer gently with no lid.
06 -
Throw the butter and minced garlic into the pan. Let it sizzle for a minute. Stir in flour and cook for another minute or so. Then blend in the tomato paste until you can’t see it anymore.
07 -
Pour wine into the hot pan, turn down to medium, and scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom. Let it bubble away until half is gone—should take around three minutes.
08 -
Set a big pot filled with salted water on to boil for your pasta.
09 -
Get a large skillet hot with olive oil on medium-high. Cook chicken till golden on both sides, about 4 to 5 minutes. Move to a dish and let it sit for ten minutes before slicing up.
10 -
Take the chicken breast and carefully slice it into thin cutlets. Blot them dry. Sprinkle Cajun seasoning both sides and dredge with flour to coat evenly.
11 -
In a jug, mix together half-and-half, the broth, honey, hot sauce, and all your seasonings. Have all your other ingredients measured out and ready to go before you start cooking.
# Notes:
01 -
Less heat? Lower the hot sauce or skip cayenne and red pepper. You can swap out the wine for broth. Using a couple kinds of cheese (shredded by hand if you can) melts best. Tomato paste from a tube lets you use just what you need. Any thick, ridged pasta will grab onto the sauce well.
02 -
Pop leftovers in a container (tight lid) and keep them in your fridge for three days or freeze for up to three months. For best texture, gently heat leftovers on the stove using a double boiler setup.