Description
A delicious and creamy Cajun chicken linguine featuring tender, seasoned chicken chunks sautéed to perfection and tossed in a rich garlic parmesan sauce. This flavorful pasta dish balances spicy Cajun seasoning with a velvety heavy cream and parmesan sauce, garnished with fresh parsley for a perfect weeknight dinner that serves four.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (for both chicken and sauce)
- Salt to taste
For the Pasta and Sauce
- 8 ounces linguine pasta
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley (for garnish)
- Optional: extra parmesan and Cajun seasoning for serving
Instructions
- Prepare Chicken: Cut chicken breasts into bite-sized chunks and pat dry with paper towels. Generously season the chicken pieces with Cajun seasoning evenly.
- Sear Chicken: Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned chicken chunks and cook until golden brown on all sides and cooked through, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
- Cook Linguine: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook linguine until al dente, typically 8 to 10 minutes depending on package instructions. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the linguine.
- Sauté Garlic: In the same skillet used for the chicken, melt 1 tablespoon unsalted butter over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute, taking care not to burn it.
- Make Cream Sauce: Pour in the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes to slightly thicken the sauce.
- Add Parmesan: Gradually whisk in the freshly grated parmesan cheese until melted and the sauce thickens to a creamy consistency.
- Toss Pasta: Add the drained linguine to the cream sauce and toss well to coat the pasta evenly. If the sauce is too thick, incorporate some reserved pasta water a little at a time until desired consistency is reached.
- Combine Chicken and Pasta: Return the cooked Cajun chicken pieces to the skillet and gently stir to combine everything thoroughly in the creamy sauce.
- Garnish: Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley over the top along with additional parmesan cheese and Cajun seasoning if desired for extra flavor and garnish.
- Serve: Serve the savory Cajun chicken and creamy garlic parmesan linguine immediately while hot and creamy for best taste and texture.
Notes
- Ensure not to overcook the linguine; al dente texture helps the sauce cling better.
- Adjust Cajun seasoning quantity to control spice level.
- Use freshly grated parmesan for best melting and flavor.
- Reserve some pasta water to loosen the sauce if it thickens too much.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 2 days, reheat gently to avoid curdling the cream sauce.
