Cajun Chicken Pasta

If you read my last post, you'll notice that these two recipes are very similar. I like to think of this as a spicier version of Chicken Alfredo. I started making this dish after my best friend, Andrew made it for me and it has been a favorite ever since! 

I like to add red and green peppers to this dish, but the selection at the grocery store was lacking when I went shopping. So, add veggies if that is what you like! Also, I must warn you... I have a very high tolerance for spicy food. So, please feel free to lessen the spices if you need to.  I feel sometimes like the spiciest foods don't faze me. This is why I end up making completely different dishes for my fiance and I. And if you are wondering later, no, this dish wasn't spicy to me.

To start, cook your noodles until al dente and keep them aside until later.

Meanwhile, cut your chicken into strips and place them in a bowl.

Once finished cutting, the amount of the future spices will depend on your tolerance for spicy food. I started by adding extra virgin olive oil to coat the chicken so that the spices would stick better. Then, I added minced garlic, salt, pepper, chili powder, cayenne pepper, paprika, and sriracha sauce. The bowl on the right is what it looked like afterward. Let the chicken sit for about 20 minutes so all the spices can be absorbed into the chicken. 

After time has surpassed, add your chicken to a skillet on medium heat. If you are wondering what the extras on the pan are, I used the same pan as the Chicken Alfredo because you will essentially be adding the same ingredients to make the sauce. Cook your chicken for 2 minutes on each side. 

Once the chicken is cooked, turn your heat down to low and add the milk and sriracha. Give it a quick stir and let it simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in your cheese until it is dissolved.

Last but not least, fold in your noodles. Continue to cook for several more minutes and you are all set.

Recipe:

Ingredients

8 ounces of linguine noodles

4 chicken breasts

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 cup of parmesan cheese

1 cup of whole milk or heavy cream

1 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of pepper 

1 teaspoon of paprika

2 teaspoons of cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon of chili powder

1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup of sriracha, divided

Directions

1. Cook your noodles until they are al dente. Set them aside and keep them warm for later.
2. Cut your chicken into strips. Put the chicken into the bowl with the extra virgin olive oil, sriracha sauce, and the dry spices. Mix well and set aside to marinade for 20 minutes.
3. Once time has surpassed, cook chicken in a pan on medium heat for two minutes on each side.
4. Turn the heat to low and add the milk and the rest of the sriracha sauce. Let simmer for five minutes.
5. Stir in the cheese until dissolved.
6. Fold in the noodles and continue to cook for several more minutes.