Making Pasta with Cajun Chicken
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If you're looking for a comfort food dish with chicken where you can crank up the spiciness to taste, this recipe for pasta with cajun chicken is a good bet. You can use rotini pasta, fusilli pasta, or the pasta of your choice. Hold back the cayenne pepper or be generous with it depending on your tolerance or desire for spice.
You can substitute in ready-made chicken from the store or holiday turkey leftovers. In that way it is a very versatile and adaptable sort of pasta dish. It should take around 45 minutes total to prep and cook this cajun chicken pasta, and it makes 6 servings. Each serving has around 700 calories - about 35 grams of protein, 55 grams of carbs, and a little under 40 grams of fat. To make it you'll want to have: - fusilli pasta (12 ounces) - chicken (4 cups, cooked, diced) - milk (quarter cup) - butter (2 tablespoons) - cream of mushroom soup (1 can) - diced tomatoes (1 can) - parmesan cheese (half cup) - green onions, sliced (1) - minced garlic cloves (3) - mushrooms, sliced (8 ounces) - green bell pepper, sliced (1) - red bell pepper, sliced (1) - ground black pepper (3/4 teaspoon) - cayenne pepper (3/4 teaspoon) - cajun seasoning (1.5 tablespoons) |
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Follow the directions on the fusilli pasta package (or pasta of your choice). Salt some water and bring to a boil in a pot, cooking for the amount of time specified on the package. Drain with a colander and rinse.
You'll need a large skillet for the next part. Add the butter, place over medium heat, and let the butter melt. Add the mushrooms, as well as the green and red bell peppers, and saute for around 5 minutes. You'll want the bell peppers and mushrooms to get tender and appear a little browned.
Now you're going to add the chicken, green onions, and minced garlic. Stir constantly as you cook this for about a minute.
Next come the spices. Add the black pepper, cayenne pepper, and your cajun seasoning, then cook while stirring for another minute to let the spices really cook into the food.
Now add the milk, soup, and tomatoes and let the mixture simmer, then add the parmesan cheese and cooked pasta. Let the mixture heat for a while and you're ready to serve!
Some other options for pasta types are campanelle, rigatoni, or farfalle - if you are looking for some variety or can't get ahold of rotini or fusilli.
You can refrigerate for around three days in a sealed container. You can also freeze, of course, if you want it to keep longer than that. Cook the pasta a little less (al dente) and don't add the cheese. Freeze in an airtight container - you can keep it for a month or two. When you're ready to cook, add to the skillet and heat over low heat, stirring. Add a bit of milk and then add the cheese as it heats up.
You'll need a large skillet for the next part. Add the butter, place over medium heat, and let the butter melt. Add the mushrooms, as well as the green and red bell peppers, and saute for around 5 minutes. You'll want the bell peppers and mushrooms to get tender and appear a little browned.
Now you're going to add the chicken, green onions, and minced garlic. Stir constantly as you cook this for about a minute.
Next come the spices. Add the black pepper, cayenne pepper, and your cajun seasoning, then cook while stirring for another minute to let the spices really cook into the food.
Now add the milk, soup, and tomatoes and let the mixture simmer, then add the parmesan cheese and cooked pasta. Let the mixture heat for a while and you're ready to serve!
Some other options for pasta types are campanelle, rigatoni, or farfalle - if you are looking for some variety or can't get ahold of rotini or fusilli.
You can refrigerate for around three days in a sealed container. You can also freeze, of course, if you want it to keep longer than that. Cook the pasta a little less (al dente) and don't add the cheese. Freeze in an airtight container - you can keep it for a month or two. When you're ready to cook, add to the skillet and heat over low heat, stirring. Add a bit of milk and then add the cheese as it heats up.