Spicy Creamy Cajun Pasta (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Main Ingredients
01 -
1 lb. Twisted ribbon pasta (or flat wide pasta alternatives)
02 -
3 boneless chicken breasts
03 -
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
04 -
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
05 -
6-8 garlic cloves, finely chopped
06 -
2 cups thick cream
07 -
1.5 cups grated parmesan
08 -
4 tablespoons spicy cajun mix, split up
09 -
pinch of salt and ground pepper
→ Spicy Cajun Mix
10 -
2 tablespoons smoky red paprika
11 -
1 tablespoon hot cayenne
12 -
1 tablespoon dried onion powder
13 -
2 teaspoon crushed garlic powder
14 -
1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
15 -
1 teaspoon table salt
16 -
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
17 -
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
# Instructions:
01 -
Beat chicken until it's about 1/4 inch thick all around, coat with oil and sprinkle spice mix generously on both sides (you'll need roughly 2-3 tablespoons).
02 -
Warm up a pan to medium-high. Pour in 2 tablespoons olive oil and brown chicken for 3-4 minutes (until you see a deep golden color underneath).
03 -
Turn once, lower the flame. Toss in 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 teaspoons of chopped garlic, letting everything melt together while chicken finishes cooking, about 5-6 minutes more (chicken should reach 165 degrees inside).
04 -
Take chicken off the heat and put it on a plate covered loosely with foil to rest before cutting.
05 -
Using the same pan over medium heat, drop in the leftover butter and let it melt. Throw in remaining chopped garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until you can smell it.
06 -
Mix in the thick cream and 2-3 teaspoons of spicy cajun mix. Let it bubble gently and get thicker, around 5 minutes.
07 -
While your sauce thickens, cook your pasta until just firm, saving 1/3 cup of the starchy water.
08 -
Stir parmesan into your cream sauce until it's completely melted. Try a bit and add more spices if needed.
09 -
Pour that 1/3 cup saved pasta water into your sauce and stir well. Dump in your cooked pasta, mix it all up and lay chicken on top. Sprinkle some cajun spice before you serve it.
# Notes:
01 -
Tastes great with buttery toasted bread
02 -
You can swap in regular paprika if that's all you've got
03 -
Wide flat pasta works fine if you can't find twisted ribbons