Blackened Chicken Alfredo (One Pan)

Ingredients

• 1344 g chicken breast (salted; flatten before seasoning)
• salt (for seasoning the chicken; amount not specified)
• blackened or Cajun seasoning (amount not specified; author recommends a paprika-first, salt-free blend. Alternatively, use the homemade blend below.)
• 20 g olive oil
• 15 g butter (for cooking the chicken)
• 2 sweet onion (diced)
• 4.5 bell pepper (diced; source gives a range of 4–5)
• 10 cloves garlic (minced; approximately 10 cloves)
• 30 g butter (for the vegetables and aromatics)
• 30 g Dijon mustard
• 896 g rigatoni (cook for about 80% of the time shown on the package)
• 2 cups starchy pasta water (approximately; reserve from cooking the pasta)
• 800 g cottage cheese (2%; blended)
• 180 g Parmigiano Reggiano
• 120 g cream cheese (1/3 fat)
• 240 ml fat-free milk
• salt (to taste, for the Alfredo sauce)
• black pepper (to taste, for the Alfredo sauce)
• chives (a handful, for finishing)
• 60 g mozzarella (for finishing)
• 2 tbsp paprika (homemade blackening seasoning option)
• 1 tbsp onion powder (homemade blackening seasoning option)
• 2 tsp garlic powder (homemade blackening seasoning option)
• 1 tsp ground black pepper (homemade blackening seasoning option)
• 1 tsp dried oregano (homemade blackening seasoning option)
• 0.5 tsp dried thyme (homemade blackening seasoning option)
• 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper (homemade blackening seasoning option)

Steps

1. 1

   Flatten the chicken breasts. Season them with salt and blackened or Cajun seasoning.

2. 2

   Heat the olive oil and butter in a large pan. Add the seasoned chicken and let it cook undisturbed for about 5 minutes to form a blackened crust.

3. 3

   Turn the chicken and repeat on the other side. Cook until done, then remove it from the pan and set it aside.

4. 4

   Immediately add the diced onions and bell peppers to the same pan.

5. 5

   Add the vegetable butter and minced garlic. Cook until the vegetables are caramelized.

6. 6

   Stir in the Dijon mustard.

7. 7

   Dice the cooked chicken and return it to the pan with the vegetables.

8. 8

   Blend the cottage cheese, Parmigiano Reggiano, cream cheese, and fat-free milk into a sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

9. 9

   Pour the blended cheese sauce over the chicken and vegetables, then let it sit while preparing the pasta.

10. 10

    Cook the rigatoni for about 80% of the time listed on the package. Reserve approximately 2 cups of starchy pasta water before draining.

11. 11

    Add the cooked pasta to the pan and mix it with the chicken, vegetables, and sauce. Add reserved pasta water as needed; the creator says he used about 1½ cups.

12. 12

    Add the chives and mozzarella, then mix to combine.

13. 13

    Portion into 15 servings. Freeze for up to 3–4 months. To reheat, microwave with a splash of milk or broth.

Notes

The post gives no exact amount for the salt, blackened/Cajun seasoning, or chives; the seasoning may be store-bought or made from the listed homemade blend. Freezer storage is stated as up to 3–4 months. The transcript says about 1½ cups of pasta water was added, while the post says to reserve about 2 cups. The source does not specify a pasta cooking pot/pan method or exact sauce-blending procedure beyond referring to the blended sauce shown on screen.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• meal prep
• freezer-friendly
• one-pan
• high-protein
• pasta
• Italian-American