Effortless Cajun Chicken Pasta (Print Version)
# 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 equal 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
# Instructions:
01 -
Sprinkle with a handful of chopped cilantro and dig in while it's nice and hot.
02 -
Toss the drained pasta right into the sauce. Mix all around. Add in the sliced chicken now and let it hang out for a couple minutes to warm up. If the sauce feels too thick, splash in that saved pasta water until you're happy with it.
03 -
Sprinkle in cheddar and mozzarella bit by bit while stirring over low heat. Keep at it till it's gooey and smooth.
04 -
Cook penne in your big pot of boiling salted water. Right before you drain it, scoop out about 240 millilitres of the water to use later.
05 -
Slowly add the half-and-half mixture you've set aside, keep stirring. Once it’s bubbling, turn the heat way down low. Add the drained diced tomatoes too, and let everything mellow together uncovered.
06 -
Toss in the butter and minced garlic into your skillet. Sauté for about a minute. Mix in the flour and let that cook for a minute or two. Squeeze in the tomato paste and stir till you don’t see any red streaks.
07 -
Pour the wine into your pan and use something flat to get all the browned bits off the bottom. Let it bubble away until the liquid shrinks by about half, should take around three minutes.
08 -
Fill a big pot with water, salt it, and get it boiling for your pasta.
09 -
Add the olive oil to a big pan and crank the heat to medium-high. Set the chicken in and sear until both sides are nicely golden, takes about 4 to 5 minutes each. Move the chicken to a plate, give it a ten-minute break, then slice up.
10 -
Cut your chicken down the middle, making thinner pieces. Pat dry with a paper towel. Rub both sides with Cajun spice and get them covered in flour.
11 -
Pour the half-and-half, chicken broth, honey, hot sauce, and all the seasonings into a big measuring jug and stir to combine. Lay out and measure everything else you’ll need before starting.
# Notes:
01 -
Dial down the heat by leaving out pepper flakes and cayenne or cutting back on the hot sauce. If you want to skip the wine, just use chicken broth instead. Mixing different cheeses works best, and grating your own makes melting easier. Grab tomato paste that comes in a squeeze tube so you can use just what you need. Short pasta tubes with ridges like penne do a great job catching every drop of sauce.
02 -
Put leftovers in a tightly sealed container and stick it in the fridge for up to three days or freeze for three months max. The gentlest way to reheat is on the stove using a double boiler—this keeps everything creamy.