Louisiana Chicken Pasta

I've been using Pinterest as my online recipe box these days. It's the first place I go when menu planning and where I catalog recipes I come across online while perusing blogs or cooking sites. Matter of fact, I've gotten in the habit of Googling recipes from magazines and pinning the recipe so I can toss the magazine. I'm trying really had to cut down on "stuff" in our new house. So far, this has worked great since almost all print magazines also catalog their recipes on their website!

This recipe was one I pinned a long time ago. Pinterest says I pinned it a year ago, actually. For whatever reason, I kept passing over it when menu planning. I think I was scared it would be OMGSPICY since it was cajun inspired. And if I took down the spices a notch, it would be flavorless.

Well needless to say, I was totally and completely wrong. I used all the spice except for the cayenne and while it had some heat, it was good heat. Not burn your face off heat. This recipe is a knock-off of the popular Cheesecake Factory dish of the same name except that Annie lightened it up some by not frying the chicken. It's still not light, don't get me wrong, but it's sooooooooo gooooooooood it's worth the splurge. So good that we'll probably have it again soon - which is a rarity in this house. It also cooks up fast and doesn't use a ton of dishes!

{Notice something missing in the picture? I left out the peppers, as we don't/can't eat them but I'm still including it in the recipe - veggies are always good!}

Louisiana Chicken Pasta

For the chicken:

1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
Salt and pepper
Cajun seasoning

For the pasta:

8 oz. bowtie pasta
Kosher salt

For the sauce:

1 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 red bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup yellow onion, chopped
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. Cajun seasoning
1/4 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
1 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tbsp. water
3 scallions, chopped

To cook the chicken, heat a small amount of butter or olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper, and a generous sprinkle of Cajun seasoning. Add to the skillet and cook until lightly browned and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain the cooked pasta and set aside.

Meanwhile, return the skillet to medium heat and heat the butter and olive oil until the butter has melted. Add the bell peppers and onion to the pan. Mix in the salt, pepper, Cajun seasoning, and cayenne pepper. Cook until the vegetables are tender, about 6-8 minutes. Add the half-and-half and heavy cream to the pan and bring to a simmer. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water, and add to the skillet once the cream mixture has started to bubble. Allow to cook until thickened, about 5 minutes.

When the sauce has thickened, add the cooked pasta and chicken pieces to the pan. Stir well to combine and cook at medium-low heat just until the chicken is warmed through. Adjust the amount of Cajun seasoning if necessary to suit your tastes. Stir in the scallions. Serve immediately and top with additional Cajun seasoning, if desired.

 

Source: Annie's Eats