Cajun Pasta

An exceedingly yummy, pasta dish with chicken, vegetables, and lots and lots of scrumptious carbs. The basics spices for Cajun is like cayenne pepper (important!), paprika, white pepper and garlic or onion powder. And you can add Cajun extras to this dish—things like Andouille sausage, crawfish, or shrimp. Play with it…have fun!
Just remember: part of the deliciousness of this pasta dish is the spicy kick. So don’t wimp out on me, baby. The recipe follows: This time I have given an original recipe and decided to write the changes in brackets ( ) so you can make decision which one you want to go with.
The original recipe is from Pioneer women.

• 3 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, Cut Into Cubes
• 3 teaspoons Cajun Spice Mix, More To Taste
• 1 pound Fettuccine
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 whole Green Bell Pepper, Seeded And Sliced
• 1 whole Red Bell Pepper, Seeded And Sliced
• 1/2 whole Large Red Onion, Sliced
• 3 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 4 whole Roma Tomatoes, Diced
• Recipe requires 2 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth but I water was as good as broth ;-)
• 1/2 cup White Wine ( I did not add this )
• 1 cup Heavy Cream( I replaced with 2% milk and 3 Tbsp of corn starch)
• Cayenne Pepper To Taste( I added Indian red chilli flakes)
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
• Salt To Taste
• Chopped Fresh Parsley, To Taste
• VEGANS: Do buy Veg burger. Cut into small pieces and shallow fry until golden brown and add it to the recipe.
• PS  I just bought Cajun spices mix( any brand is good) and it made my cooking a bit simpler.

Preparation Instructions

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain when pasta is still al dente; do not overcook!

Sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun spice over chicken pieces. Toss around to coat. Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon oil in a heavy skillet over high heat. Add half the chicken( veg burger for vegans).  Allow chicken to brown on one side, about 1 minute. Flip to the other side and cook an additional minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a clean plate.

Repeat with remaining chicken. Remove chicken, leaving pan on high heat.

Add remaining olive oil and butter. When heated, add peppers, onions, and garlic, tomatoes. Sprinkle on remaining Cajun spice, and add salt if needed. Cook over very high heat for 1 minute, stirring gently and trying to get the vegetables as dark/black as possible.. Remove all vegetables from the pan.

With the pan over high heat, pour in the wine and chicken broth.( I just poured water 2 cups..hehe) Cook on high for 3 to 5 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Reduce heat to medium-low and pour in milk, stirring/whisking constantly. Add corn starch diluted in water. Cook sauce over medium-low heat for a few minutes, until cream starts to thicken the mixture.

Finally, add chicken and vegetables to sauce, making sure to include all the juices that have drained onto the plate. Stir and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until mixture is bubbly and hot. Add drained fettuccine and toss to combine. The mixture should look creamy thick and not liquidy.

Top with chopped fresh parsley and chow down!