New Orleans Chicken Pasta is a jazzy take on a weeknight pasta dinner! The tender bow tie pasta is saturated in a creamy, spicy, and vibrantly seasoned sauce that you'll be mopping up until your plate is clean. With sautéed, bright, and hearty vegetables mixed in and topped with cheesy, crunchy, and savory chicken, New Orleans Chicken Pasta shows off the fantastically fun flavors of Cajun cooking. Weeknights have never felt so exciting!
Ingredients
For the chicken: • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour • 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning • 1 cup whole milk • 1 tablespoon hot sauce, of your choice • 1 cup panko bread crumbs • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated • 1 1/2 pounds chicken breast, butterflied, pounded to about 1/4-inch thickness • 1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil For the vegetables: • 2 tablespoons olive oil • 1 cup red bell pepper, diced • 1 cup yellow bell pepper, diced • 1 cup cremini mushrooms, sliced • 1/4 cup green onion, thinly sliced • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped For the Cajun cream sauce and pasta: • 1 pound bow tie pasta • 1/4 cup reserved pasta water • 2 tablespoons olive oil • 3 cloves garlic, minced • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes • 1 cup heavy cream • 1/2 cup whole milk • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter • 4 teaspoons Cajun seasoning, or to taste • 3/4 cup parmesan cheese, gratedDirections
Preheat the oven to 170 degrees F.
In a large shallow bowl, combine the flour and 2 teaspoons of Cajun seasoning.
In a second large shallow bowl, whisk together the milk and hot sauce.
In a third large shallow bowl, toss together the panko bread crumbs and parmesan.
Dip each piece of chicken in the flour, making sure it is completely coated, then in the milk mixture, and then in the bread crumb mixture, in that order. Make sure all sides are coated generously with the bread crumb mixture.
Optionally, you can dip the chicken for a second time into the milk and bread crumb mixtures for a thicker coating.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Once the oil begins to shimmer, place the chicken in the skillet in batches, making sure not to overcrowd them.
Cook the chicken until it’s golden brown and fully cooked through at 165 degrees F, about 3-4 minutes per side.
Transfer the chicken to an oven-safe plate.
Once all of the chicken is cooked, place the plate in the oven to keep the chicken warm.
Wipe the skillet clean with a paper towel.
Place the skillet on the stove-top over medium heat.
Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
Add the red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, mushrooms, and green onion and sauté until tender, about 7-8 minutes.
Transfer the vegetables to a bowl.
In a pot of boiled salted water, cook the pasta to al dente according to the package directions.
Drain the pasta, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta water.
In the same skillet used to cook the vegetables, heat the remaining olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes over medium-low heat.
Once the garlic is fragrant, add the heavy cream.
Bring the mixture to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low.
Let the mixture reduce by 1/2, about 10 minutes.
Whisk in the milk, butter, and remaining Cajun seasoning.
Remove the skillet from the heat.
Add the pasta, parmesan, and sautéed vegetables to the cream sauce, tossing to combine.
Add the reserved pasta water as needed to reach the desired consistency.
Plate the pasta, topped with the chicken and the chopped fresh parsley.
Serve.
