Satisfying Pasta

Let's just jump into last night's dinner shall we.

Cajun Chicken Pasta
One pound of chicken, diced up, seasoned with cajun seasoning, salt & pepper and cooked through. Remove to a plate.

In the same pan, cook some chopped red onion, red pepper, green pepper and garlic until almost tender. You want a little bite left in the peppers. Remove to the plate with the chicken.

In the same pan, deglaze with broth & wine if you want, simmer, add some cream, simmer to reduce. Season with salt/pepper, cayenne pepper if you want some extra heat and a touch more cajun seasoning.

Schlep all the ingredients in the cream sauce with pasta that is just about al dente. Simmer for an extra minute or two to finish cooking the pasta and letting the sauce mingle and marry with the other ingredients.

Toss with fresh parsley and serve up.

This dinner came from The Pioneer Woman Cooks. Great blog. My kind of food! Really a satisfying dinner. All the slurpiness of a chain restaurant's type of pasta dinner, but with the supreme wholesomeness of a home cooked meal. It was fast, easy and adaptable! I skipped the wine, unlike me, but I had my reasons. I used penne, use pasta you prefer. I used canned tomatoes instead of fresh--canned are better than the out of season white tomatoes my store has now. And I added a little shot of Worchestshire sauce just prior to adding the pasta. All in all, very tasty! This will come out again!

Cajun Chicken Pasta
3 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, Cut Into Cubes
3 tsp Cajun Spice Mix, More To Taste
1 pound pasta
2 TB Olive Oil
2 TB Butter
1 whole Green Bell Pepper, Seeded And Sliced
1 whole Red Bell Pepper, Seeded And Sliced
½ whole Large Red Onion, Sliced
3 cloves Garlic, Minced
4 whole Roma Tomatoes, Diced
2 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
½ cups White Wine
1 cup Heavy Cream
Cayenne Pepper To Taste
Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
Salt To Taste
Chopped Fresh Parsley, To Taste

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 butter in a heavy skillet over high heat. Add half the chicken in a single layer; do not stir. 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. 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. Add tomatoes and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Remove all vegetables from the pan.

With the pan over high heat, pour in the wine and chicken broth. Cook on high for 3 to 5 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Reduce heat to medium-low and pour in cream, stirring/whisking constantly. Cook sauce over medium-low heat for a few minutes, until cream starts to thicken the mixture. Taste and add freshly ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, and/or salt to taste. Sauce should be spicy!

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.

Top with chopped fresh parsley and chow down!