Spicy Creamy Cajun Chicken (Printable Version)
Tender chicken in a rich tomato cream sauce with bell peppers and bold Cajun spices, ready fast.
# Ingredients:
→ Proteins
01 -
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced into 4 thin pieces each
→ Pasta
02 -
200 g rigatoni or preferred pasta
→ Vegetables
03 -
0.5 medium onion, thinly sliced
04 -
0.5 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
05 -
3 cloves garlic, minced
→ Dairy
06 -
30 g parmesan cheese, grated
07 -
240 ml heavy cream
08 -
14 g unsalted butter (1 tablespoon)
→ Pantry
09 -
15 ml olive oil (1 tablespoon) plus extra for frying
10 -
1.5 tablespoons cajun seasoning, divided
11 -
120 ml tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes
12 -
120 ml reserved pasta cooking water
13 -
Salt, to taste
14 -
Chili flakes and fresh parsley, optional garnish
# Steps:
01 -
In a medium bowl, combine chicken slices, 15 ml olive oil, and 1 tablespoon cajun seasoning. Toss to coat evenly and set aside while preparing other ingredients.
02 -
Cook rigatoni in boiling salted water until about one minute less than al dente. Reserve 120 ml pasta water before draining. Meanwhile, heat a skillet over medium heat with a drizzle of olive oil and cook chicken slices for 2-3 minutes per side until cooked through.
03 -
In the same skillet, melt butter and sauté onion and garlic until softened. Add red bell pepper and cook for another 2 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce, heavy cream, reserved pasta water, and remaining 0.5 tablespoon cajun seasoning. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.
04 -
Add rigatoni and half of the cooked chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces, to the sauce. Toss to coat and cook for 1-2 minutes until pasta is tender. Stir in grated parmesan cheese and season with salt to taste.
05 -
Plate the pasta and top with the remaining chicken pieces. Garnish with chili flakes and parsley if desired. Serve immediately.
# Notes:
01 -
For increased heat, add 0.25 teaspoon cayenne pepper to the sauce or more chili flakes as garnish. Best enjoyed fresh; refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days.