The heat of the hot penne and heavy cream together with smoked sausages creating such a creamy & tasty Cajun chicken pasta recipe with a hint of spicy.
Just another nonchalant recipe featuring spicy chicken pasta I've just made last weekend. This Cajun chicken penne pasta dish is inspired by the local pizza restaurant in my neighborhood. Though their Italian cream sauce has nothing to do with my Cajun pasta sauce, but the flavor somewhat resembles one another.
I am a big fan of Cajun cuisine. This is not the first Cajun recipe on my blog and also will not be the last. I have at least 6 Cajun dishes uploaded up until this point.
My garlic Cajun boiling seafood recipe has been the popular one on my blog for months. It has outperformed the rest of the recipes with a very promising viewers numbers. Other Cajun related recipes can be found here, here, and here.
How to cook dried pasta
Pasta is properly cooked when it is al dente, firm but tender. Cooking times vary depending on the shape and quantity of pasta.
For this creamy Cajun chicken pasta recipe, I use dried penne pasta shape.
- Boil the water over high heat and season the boiling pot with generous amount of salt. But not too much. This is the only time you can season your pasta.
- Pasta absorbs water and salt during cooking. Adding salt to pasta after it is boiled will not provide the same seasoning effect.
- I use about 2 tbsp of Kosher salt for 4qt of water. You can taste the water at this point to adjust its saltiness if needed.
- Add the pasta to the rapidly boiling salty water.
- You can follow the package directions for timing pasta. However, the only way to accurately test doneness is to bite into a piece.
- Remove the pasta from the stove and drain when it is slightly firmer than desired.
- Toss a small amount of oil into the pasta (if desired) to prevent it from sticking.
- Serve hot pasta immediately.
- If using pasta in a salad or other cold dish, you can refresh or "wake it up" with cold water.
- Do not rinse pasta with cold water that is intended to be serve hot.
How to make Cajun pasta sauce
The star of this Cajun pasta recipe is of course the sauce. It is creamy, tasty, with a hint of spicy. It also goes well with seafood component besides chicken.
So lets dig in to find out what makes this tasty Cajun chicken pasta the main dish of the year.
- White onion - chopped
- Garlic - minced
- Canned tomato sauce - I prefer no salt added version of tomato sauce for easier seasoning purpose.
- Heavy cream
- Chicken stock or pasta boiling water - you can use homemade chicken stock or store bough canned chicken stock. If both are not available to you, just use some of the pasta boiling water, it creates such smooth texture and perfect taste for the sauce.
- Cajun seasoning
- Old Bay seasoning
Process of making the sauce for this creamy Cajun chicken penne pasta
- Heat a small amount of vegetable oil over medium high heat. Then add chopped white onions until they're about to turn golden brown (don't let them burn).
- Add Cajun, Old Bay seasoning followed by tomatoes sauce to the pan. Stir constantly to prevent them from scorching.
- Add chicken stock to the pan, bring to boil then lower the heat to simmer. Let the mixture reduce by ⅓.
- Stir in the heavy cream, then bring the mixture back to almost boiling point again then turn off the heat immediately. Remember to not boil the cream too hard or it will be separated.
- Strain the sauce through a fine sieve mesh and use immediately in the creamy chicken pasta or keep it in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Variations of Cajun chicken penne pasta
- Penne can be substituted for spaghetti, fettucine or ziti.
- Chicken can be replaced by crab meat, shrimp, clams, or lobster tail.
- Smoked sausages can be replaced by smoked ham.
- Cheese options include but not limited to: cheddar, mozzarella, emmental, parmesan.
Did you make this recipe? If so please leave a rating and let me know how it went in the comment section. Also, don't forget to tag me #cookmorphosis @cookmorphosis on social media.
Cajun chicken penne pasta with smoked sausages
Ingredients
Chicken pasta
- 2 c dried pasta (see notes)
- 2 medium chicken breasts cut into bite size
- ½ c chicken stock or penne boiling water
- 1 link smoked sausages sliced (see notes)
- ½ medium green bell pepper sliced
- 10 cherry tomatoes halved
- ½ c cheddar cheese shredded (see notes)
- parsley or green onion for garnish
Creamy Cajun sauce
- ½ large white onion chopped
- 1 bulb garlic peeled, minced
- ½ c canned tomato sauce
- ½ c chicken stock or penne boiling water
- ½ c heavy cream
- 2 tsp Cajun seasoning
- 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
Instructions
Cook penne
- Boil the water over high heat and season the boiling pot with generous amount of salt. Add about 2 tbsp of Kosher salt for 4qt of water. Taste the water and adjust saltiness if needed.
- Add the pasta to the rapidly boiling salty water. Follow the package directions for timing pasta. However, the only way to accurately test doneness is to bite into a piece.
- Remove the pasta from the stove and drain when it is slightly firmer than desired.
- Toss a small amount of oil into the pasta (if desired) to prevent it from sticking.
- Set aside for later use. Preserve boiling liquid for cooking chicken penne and making the sauce if chicken stock is not available.
Make creamy Cajun sauce
- Heat a small amount of vegetable oil over medium high heat. Then add chopped white onions until they’re about to turn golden brown (don’t let them burn).
- Add Cajun, Old Bay seasoning followed by tomatoes sauce to the pan. Stir constantly to prevent them from scorching.
- Add chicken stock to the pan, bring to boil then lower the heat to simmer. Let the mixture reduce by ⅓.
- Stir in the heavy cream, then bring the mixture back to almost boiling point again then turn off the heat immediately. Remember to not boil the cream too hard or it will be separated.
Make Cajun chicken penne pasta
- Ina large sautéed pan, on medium high heat, add chicken breast and chicken stock (or penne boiling water) to the pan. Stirring occasionally until all sides of the chicken pieces are fully cooked and most of the water evaporated. Approximately 5 to 8 minutes.
- Then add slices of sausages and cook for another minute.
- Add cooked penne and bell pepper and cook for a further 2 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to medium, stir in the Cajun pasta sauce to coat everything completely. Then turn off the heat.
- Add cherry tomatoes, and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary. Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese, chopped parsley or green onion on top. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Penne can be substituted for spaghetti, fettucine or ziti.
- Chicken can be replaced by crab meat, shrimp, clams, or lobster tail.
- Smoked sausages can be replaced by smoked ham.
- Cheese options include but not limited to: cheddar, mozzarella, emmental, parmesan.
Leave a Reply