Cajun Chicken Pasta

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts (large, flattened for even cooking)
• 3 tbsp cajun seasoning (homemade blend or store-bought)
• 1 yellow onion (medium, diced)
• 1 bell pepper (thinly sliced (mixed colors recommended))
• 8 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 cup heavy cream (room temperature; can sub 1 cup cold milk + 1 tbsp cornstarch)
• 5 tbsp butter (divided)
• 2 tbsp neutral oil (for searing chicken)
• 1 cup fresh spinach
• 1 tsp garlic powder (extra seasoning boost)
• 1 tsp paprika (extra seasoning boost)
• 1 tsp black pepper (extra seasoning boost)
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper (extra seasoning boost)
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning (extra seasoning boost)
• 0.75 cup parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
• 0.5 cup pasta water (reserved from boiling pasta)
• 8 oz rigatoni
• 1 tbsp olive oil (for coating chicken; plus extra for drizzling pasta)
• fresh basil (for garnish)

Steps

1. 1

   Pat the chicken breasts dry and flatten them slightly to ensure even cooking.

2. 2

   Rub the chicken with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and coat fully in Cajun seasoning until bronzed all over.

3. 3

   Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the rigatoni until al dente (usually 1 minute less than the package instructions).

4. 4

   Reserve at least 1/2 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta and drizzle with a little olive oil to prevent clumping.

5. 5

   In a large pan over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons of neutral oil and 1 tablespoon of butter.

6. 6

   Sear the chicken for 4 minutes per side until golden. Lower the heat, add 2 tablespoons of butter, and baste the chicken until cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.

7. 7

   In the same pan, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the diced onion and sauté until softened and golden, about 5 minutes.

8. 8

   Toss in the sliced bell peppers and the extra seasoning boost (garlic powder, paprika, pepper, cayenne, and Italian seasoning). Sauté for 6-7 minutes until the peppers are soft.

9. 9

   Add the minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.

10. 10

    Lower the heat to medium-low. Stir in the heavy cream and let it gently simmer.

11. 11

    Add the fresh spinach and grated parmesan cheese. Mix for about a minute until the spinach wilts and the cheese melts.

12. 12

    Add the cooked pasta and 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water. Toss well over low heat for 1–2 minutes to emulsify the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, splash in more pasta water.

13. 13

    Slice the rested chicken, lay it on top of the pasta, and serve with fresh basil and additional parmesan cheese.

Notes

Homemade Cajun Seasoning Blend: 1 tbsp paprika, 1 ½ tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, ½ tsp black pepper, ½ tsp Italian seasoning, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp cayenne. Substitution Tip: For a lighter sauce, you can substitute the heavy cream with 1 cup cold milk whisked with 1 tbsp cornstarch until smooth.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• dinner
• pasta
• chicken
• cajun
• spicy
• one-pan
• creamy