Cajun Chicken Pasta
This recipe is a crowd-pleaser with its rich, flavorful sauce and tender chicken.
This recipe is a crowd-pleaser with its rich, flavorful sauce and tender chicken.
- Carbohydrate 94.1685384049915 g
- Cholesterol 150.713833407447 mg
- Fat 53.4490353919728 g
- Fiber 13.227490541249 g
- Protein 22.2637997533524 g
- Saturated Fat 32.2576691383397 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (253g)
- Sodium 769.313931446757 mg
- Sugar 80.9410478637425 g
- Trans Fat 3.70269850722299 g
- Calories 929 calories
Step-by-step
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add fettuccini and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
- In a large saucepan, melt butter into cream over low heat. Add salt, pepper and garlic salt. Stir in cheese over medium heat until melted; this will thicken the sauce.
- In a large saucepan add chicken and cook until done. Add red and green pepper and cook until al dente. Add cajun seasoning.
- Add chicken mixture to sauce. Add this to pasta. Use enough of the pasta so that all of the sauce is used and the pasta is thoroughly coated. Serve immediately.
Boiling the fettuccini and reducing the cream sauce must happen simultaneously so the pasta does not sit and stick while waiting for the liquid to thicken. Heavy cream requires low heat initially to prevent the butter from separating, followed by a gentle medium heat once the grated cheeses are introduced. Grating the parmesan and romano cheeses fresh from blocks yields a smoother emulsion than pre-shredded varieties, which are often coated in anti-caking cellulose that prevents proper melting.
Managing the Pan Sequence
Cooking the chicken and the julienned bell peppers in the same skillet builds the foundational flavor for the spice blend. Sauté the chicken until internal temperatures reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit, then introduce the red and green bell peppers so they retain a slight crunch rather than turning soft. Applying the Cajun seasoning directly into the protein and pepper mixture allows the spices to bloom in the residual fats before combining everything with the dairy base.
- If the sauce appears too thick, stir in reserved pasta cooking water two tablespoons at a time to adjust consistency.
- Drain the fettuccini strictly at the al dente mark, usually eight minutes, because it continues softening when tossed into the hot sauce.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days, reheating gently over low heat with a splash of milk.
