Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
I was really excited to write this because once I discovered Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta two years ago I never looked back. Then, I started tell people about it and lo and behold it turns out that it’s closely tied to the Chili’s restaurant chain where I’ve eaten exactly once in my life. It’s not that I’m against Chili’s, it’s that the town I grew up in is so small there are no chain restaurants and you’d have to travel for miles to find one. When I was in boarding school a friend’s family took us to Chili’s on the weekend as a treat and that’s the only time I remember being there. I wonder if this is a benefit in this case? I have zero nostalgia for this recipe, yet everyone does so I get to experience the pleasure of it for the very first time?
There is no whoosh of memories that come back to me when I take a bite of this Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta. The only thing I think about is how much my family enjoys it so it’s gathered us around the table many, many times. It’s just one of those meals that works. The whole family really likes it, it’s fairly simple to make, and it’s just different enough to be novel once in a while. As you’ll see in my recipe notes, I cut down the heat quite a bit. One of my children does not like spice so I tend to dial back any kind of pepper flavor whenever asked. That said, feel free to turn the dial right back up if you want to!
I’ve also worked on getting the preparation simple enough so it doesn’t dirty too many dishes. Honestly, I hate a meal that leaves me with a ton of clean-up, especially on a school night. You’ll see that I write my recipes in the way I prepare them, which, I hope, you find practical as well. I hope you like this Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta. It’s a fantastic family meal!
Recipe
Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
1/1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried rosemary
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to ¼-inch thickness
2 tablespoons avocado oil
1 small onion, diced
1 box penne pasta
3 cups chicken broth
3 cups whole milk
Chopped tomato for garnish
4 thinly sliced scallions for garnish
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese for garnish
Instructions
- In a small bowl, add the paprika, cayenne, thyme, rosemary, oregano, salt, and pepper and combine with a fork.
- Place the chicken breasts on a plate or flat chopped board and season both sides of each breast with a generous pinch of the spice blend.
- Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet with high sides and sear the chicken on both sides, turning them as needed for 5 to 8 minutes, or until they are cooked through. Remove to a plate.
- Reduce the heat slightly and add the onion and cook it until translucent and softened, about 5 minutes. Scrape up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan as you cook the onion to get all the flavor!
- To the pan add the pasta, chicken broth, milk, and any remaining spice blend. Bring it to a simmer and watch it as it simmers for 20-25 minutes, stirring it occasionally. The liquid will reduce to form a creamy sauce and cook the pasta at the same time. I find that the sauce comes together at the very end so be patient!
- Slice the chicken into strips against the grain. Scoop the cooked pasta into a bowl and top it with chicken strips. Then add the tomato, scallions and Parmesan as a garnish. Enjoy!
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