Cajun chicken pasta is something I don’t make too often because of how rich and loaded with calories it is, but when we do have it, boy is it good! I originally posted my twist on the Chili’s copycat version but since then I’ve made it several times and have really revamped the recipe. I now use whole wheat pasta – not only because it is better for you but I like the texture better than regular pasta. I also added peppers and peas to the recipe to bulk it up and to add some nutritional value and texture. When making the sauce I now exclusively use fat free cream or half and half – never full fat/calorie cream as it is just too rich!

One other thing to note about this recipe is to not be afraid of seasonings! When seasoning the chicken before blackening it, you really need it covered in spices – not caked on by any means but don’t just sprinkle a little dusting, just properly season the thing! My favorite cajun seasoning, as I’ve said many times is Gullah Luv Seasoning. For the chicken to be cooked evenly you first need to pound the chicken breast’s thicker half so that the breast is all the same even thickness. The best way to do this is putting them on a cutting board, covering them with plastic wrap and pounding them with a rolling pin. This is also a great stress reliever – just make sure you don’t get too carried away and wind up with chicken mush. 😉 Oh and you absolutely have to use a cast iron pan for this. If you don’t have one, you need to get one – you’ll thank me later.

Best Ever Cajun Chicken Pasta

Ingredients
– 1 box of whole wheat penne pasta
– 1 lb (4 regular size) boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded even
– 1 quart of fat-free or reduce-fat cream or half-and-half
– 2 tbsp butter plus more for cooking chicken (about 1 stick total)
– 1 large yellow pepper, cut into thin pieces roughly the size of the penne noodles
– 1 bag of frozen peas
– 4 roma tomatoes, diced
– 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
– sliced scallions (also for garnish)
– 1 tbsp of cajun seasoning, plus more for seasoning chicken
– 1/2 tbsp lemon pepper seasoning
– 1 tsp black pepper
– salt to taste

Directions

In a large cast iron skillet heated to medium-high heat, add 2-3 tablespoons of butter. Once melted, cook the chicken breasts two at a time. Do not flip the chicken for several minutes until you see white creeping up the sides. Do not worry when the chicken appears black, that’s a good thing – its flavor baby! Once the chicken is cooked to temp, set it on a plate to rest and cook the remaining two breasts, making sure to add more butter to keep the chicken from sticking. Once all cooked and on the plate to rest, cover with foil to keep warm. Right before serving, slice the chicken.

While chicken is cooking, bring a pot of water to boil and cook the pasta. At the same time, in a large non-stick skillet, heat the cream, 2 tablespoons of butter, and seasonings.

Once the chicken is removed from the skillet, reduce to heat to medium-low and add in the sliced bell peppers. Once they start to get a little color, add in the bag of frozen peas and cook until no longer frozen.

As the sauce is heating, whisk it as often as you can. When it starts bubbling, continue whisking until it is nice and thick. Stir in the peas and peppers as well as the Parmesan cheese.

Serve in a bowl topped with sliced chicken, diced tomatoes, scallions and Parmesan cheese.

Much love,
M