Cajun Chicken Pasta

A quick and easy creamy chicken pasta with cajun style seasoning!

I like to have a few recipes on hand that are easy to make last minute, on a busy weeknight, and this cajun style chicken pasta is one of them! In the time that it takes to bring a pot of water to boil and cook the pasta, you can cook the chicken and make the sauce. Speaking of the sauce, this one is inspired by cajun flavours, starting with onion and bell peppers that are cooked until tender before adding garlic and cajun seasoning, and then making a roux. The rest of the sauce consists of a can of diced tomatoes, cream, cream cheese and parmesan cheese along with some of the water that the pasta was cooked in! All said and told you have a tasty meal that’s ready in less than 30 minutes! You can change things up by adding andouille sausage, shrimp, etc.

Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 
  
  
  
  
  
  8 ounces pasta (such as penne) (gluten-free for gluten-free)
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 pound skinless and boneless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite sized pieces
• 2 teaspoons cajun seasoning
• 2 tablespoons butter (or oil)
• 1 cup onion, diced
• 1 cup bell pepper, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 teaspoons cajun seasoning
• 1/4 cup flour (gluten-free for gluten-free)
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup heavy/whipping cream
• 4 ounces cream cheese (warmed) (optional)
• 1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano (parmesan cheese), grated
• 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced

Directions:

1. Start cooking the pasta as directed on the package.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat, add the chicken, seasoned with the cajun seasoning, and cook, about 5-8 minutes, before setting aside.
3. Melt the butter in the pan that you cooked the chicken in, add the onion and peppers and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the garlic and cajun seasoning, sprinkle on flour and cook, mixing, for 1 minute.
5. Add the diced tomatoes and cream, mix well and simmer to thicken a bit, about 2-3 minutes.
6. Turn off the heat, and mix in the cream cheese and parmesan.
7. Mix in the cooked pasta, chicken and mix, optionally mixing in some of the water that the pasta was cooked in to get the sauce to the desired consistency.
8. Mix in the parsley and green onions and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts: Calories 679, Fat 40g (Saturated 18g, Trans 0.3g), Cholesterol 176mg, Sodium 314mg, Carbs 62g (Fiber 5g, Sugars 9g), Protein 41g