If you love cajun chicken pasta then you’re about to get an award-winning recipe. At the last minute, my kids entered us into a state-wide cooking competition. The problem is my kids are sh*tty cooks. I had to take the lead and come up with a dish fast but I didn’t know which one to use.
I talked to my buddy. He is a head chef at a fancy restaurant. He suggested I do my Cajun Chicken Pasta. He said it’s one of his favorite dishes I make. I was hesitant because everyone else seems to love the dish but I think it's okay. However, I didn’t have a lot of time to think so I went with it. With my kid's help, we made this dish and entered it into the competition. To my surprise, we won. I talked to a judge afterward and she said there were some good dishes in the competition but there was something about our pasta dish that stood head and shoulders above the rest. That was one hell of a compliment for a dish that I wasn't 100% sold on.
Everyone around me seems to love this dish. It won an award so I guess it’s good enough to leave here. Let me know your thoughts when you make it.
Ingredients
- 8 oz linguine pasta (You can use any pasta you prefer: angel hair, linguine, fettuccine, elbow, macaroni, penne, bow tie, etc.)
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts. You can also use chicken thighs.
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 Tbsp Bald Buck: Slow Burn for spicy or Bold Taste for non spicy. Divide the Tbsp into 1 ½
- 3 garlic cloves, minced or chopped
- 2/3 cup diced tomatoes
- 1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup grated or shredded parmesan cheese
- 2 Tbsp parsley, finely chopped, to serveWhat
Instructions
- Cook Pasta – Review the package instructions. Boil in salted water until the pasta is al dente.
- Prepare Chicken – Use any tool you have (the bottom of a saucepan, meat mallet, etc.) to pound the chicken thighs (or breast) into an even thickness.
- Season both sides with Bald Buck seasoning. A tablespoon to a tablespoon and half per pound of chicken should be enough but if you want it to be saltier, then add a little more.
- Saute the chicken in a skillet with oil until fully cooked then slice into strips.
- Making The Sauce – In a deep skillet, saute the garlic in butter 30-60 seconds or until you can really smell it. Add the diced tomatoes and saute for about 2 minutes. Add the cream, remaining Bald Buck seasoning, and parmesan cheese, and bring to a simmer.
- Combine – Add the pasta and sliced chicken to the sauce and toss to combine.
- Serve – Top with parmesan and parsley to serve.
