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
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 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 onions, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
For the Cajun cream sauce and pasta:
- 1 pound bow tie pasta
- 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
- 3/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 170 degrees F.
Step 2 –In a large shallow bowl, combine the flour and 2 teaspoons of the Cajun seasoning.
Step 3 –In a second large shallow bowl, whisk together the milk and the hot sauce.
Step 4 –In a third large shallow bowl, toss together the panko breadcrumbs and 1/2 cup of the parmesan.
Step 5 –Dip each piece of the chicken in the flour, making sure it is completely coated, then in the milk mixture, and then in the breadcrumb mixture, in that order. Make sure all sides are coated generously with the breadcrumb mixture.
Step 6 –Optionally, you can dip the chicken for a second time into the milk and the breadcrumb mixtures for a thicker coating.
Step 7 –Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Step 8 –Once the oil begins to shimmer, place the chicken in the skillet in batches, making sure not to overcrowd them.
Step 9 –Cook the chicken until they are golden-brown and fully cooked through at 165 degrees F, about 3-4 minutes per side.
Step 10 –Transfer the chicken to an oven-safe plate.
Step 11 –Once all of the chicken is cooked, place the plate in the oven to keep the chicken warm.
Step 12 –Wipe the skillet clean with a paper towel.
Step 13 –Place the skillet over medium heat.
Step 14 –Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil.
Step 15 –Add the red bell pepper, the yellow bell pepper, the mushrooms, and the green onion and sauté until tender, about 7-8 minutes.
Step 16 –Transfer the vegetables to a bowl.
Step 17 –In a pot of boiled salted water, cook the pasta to al dente, according to the package directions.
Step 18 –Drain the pasta, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta water.
Step 19 –In the same skillet used to cook the vegetables, heat the remaining olive oil, the garlic, and the red pepper flakes over medium-low heat.
Step 20 –Once the garlic is fragrant, add the heavy cream.
Step 21 –Bring the sauce mixture to a boil.
Step 22 –Reduce the heat to low.
Step 23 –Let the sauce mixture reduce by 1/2, about 10 minutes.
Step 24 –Whisk in the milk, the butter, and remaining Cajun seasoning.
Step 25 –Remove the skillet from the heat.
Step 26 –Add the pasta, the remaining parmesan, and the sautéed vegetables to the cream sauce, tossing to combine.
Step 27 –Add the reserved pasta water, as needed, to reach the desired consistency.
Step 28 –Plate the pasta, topped with the chicken and the chopped fresh parsley.
Step 29 –Serve.
