Description
A delightful creamy and spicy pasta dish that transports your taste buds straight to the Southern kitchens of America.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 ounces fettuccine or penne pasta
- 2 medium-sized chicken breasts, diced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning (adjust to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 bell pepper (red or green), diced
- 1/2 cup chopped green onions (for garnish)
- Optional: 1 cup spinach or kale
- Optional: 1 teaspoon smoked paprika for extra flavor
Instructions
- Begin by cooking your pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Once done, drain and set aside, reserving about 1/2 cup of pasta water for later.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced chicken, seasoning it with Cajun seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Sauté until the chicken is golden brown and fully cooked through, which should take about 5-7 minutes.
- Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the skillet and set it aside. In the same skillet, add the diced onion and bell pepper, stirring occasionally until they soften, around 3-4 minutes. If you opted for spinach or kale, toss it in at this stage until wilted.
- Stir in the minced garlic and continue cooking for another minute.
- Pour in the heavy cream and chicken broth, and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. As it heats up, fold in the graded Parmesan cheese and stir until melted and smooth.
- Return the cooked chicken to the skillet. Add the pasta, tossing everything together. If the sauce looks too thick, use the reserved pasta water to reach your desired consistency.
- Let everything cook together for about 2-3 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld. Finally, garnish with chopped green onions before serving.
Notes
Feel free to customize by adding vegetables or protein substitutes to match dietary preferences. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen for up to a month.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Southern American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 500
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 54g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 24g
- Cholesterol: 90mg