Cajun Chicken Alfredo Pasta
This Chili’s copycat Cajun Chicken Alfredo Pasta recipe is delicious! The Cajun chicken breast is so flavorful, juicy, and tender, while the homemade alfredo sauce is both creamy and silky smooth, and not at all gritty.
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breast, (8-9 oz each)
- 1 tablespoon homemade cajun seasoning
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, (skip this if you are using store-bought cajun seasoning with salt added)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 oz penne pasta
- finely grated lemon zest from a whole lemon
For Alfredo Sauce
- 4 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1½ cups freshly grated parmesan cheese, (at room temperature)
To serve:
- chopped tomatoes
- chopped green onion
- a sprinkle of cajun seasoning
Instructions
- Pound chicken breasts to an even thickness (between ¼ to ½-inch).
- Place the chicken pieces in a large Ziploc bag then season with cajun seasoning, salt, and oil. Marinate for 15-30 minutes in the fridge.
- Preheat the grill pan for 3 minutes or until hot. Lightly grease the pan with oil or cooking spray.
- Grill the chicken breast for 3 minutes, undisturbed. Flip and cook for 3 minutes or longer, until no longer pink and the internal temperature registers at 165°F.Transfer the chicken to a plate and let it rest.
- Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente.
- Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook just until fragrant for about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Gradually stir in heavy cream and lemon zest. Whisking constantly for 2 minutes or until slightly thickened.
- Reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Slowly add freshly grated parmesan, whisking constantly until the sauce thickens to coat the back of a spoon. Add more parmesan cheese if needed and according to your liking.
- Season with salt and pepper if necessary.
- Stir in pasta, toss to combine. Serve with grilled cajun chicken breast, chopped tomatoes, chopped green onion, and a sprinkle of cajun seasoning.
Nutrition
Calories: 726kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 43gFat: 51gSaturated Fat: 29gCholesterol: 217mgSodium: 1021mgPotassium: 574mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 2450IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 475mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!