Cajun Chicken Pasta

Photo from The
Wooden Skillet

It's been a while since I've made a pasta dish. For whatever reason, pasta just hasn't been calling my name lately, so I've been passing over those recipes whenever they popped up in my random recipe picker. But there was something about this one that kept catching my eye, and eventually I gave in.

I've made quite a few Cajun chicken pastas over the years, and they've almost always been winners. I already have a favorite that's become the benchmark every new Cajun pasta gets measured against.

This recipe came surprisingly close. It was easy to throw together, packed with flavor, and had just the right amount of heat without being overwhelming. It hit all those classic Cajun notes I was hoping for. The only thing that would have made it even better would have been some andouille sausage mixed in with the chicken. Unfortunately, I didn't have any on hand, but even with just the chicken, it was a delicious meal that I'd happily make again.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

Recipe from The Wooden Skillet

Serves 8

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning, divided
• 9 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1 pound penne noodles
• 2-3 teaspoons garlic, minced
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 14 oz can of diced tomatoes, drained
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• pinch of kosher salt
• 1 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
• 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
• garnish: fresh parsley and additional grated parmesan cheese

Pat 1 pound chicken dry with paper towels and season all sides with 1 tablespoon of cajun seasoning. 

Bring a large cast iron skillet to a medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of butter to melt. Once hot, cook the chicken for 5-7 minutes on one side, flip, and continue cooking for 5-7 minutes on the other side. Cook until the internal temperature at the thickest part of the meat reaches 162℉ (use a meat thermometer). Let chicken rest on a plate.

While the chicken is cooking, bring a separate pot of water to a boil. Add 1 pound penne noodles and cook to al dente according to the package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water before fully draining.

In the same large skillet used to cook the chicken, bring back to a medium high heat and add the rest of the butter to melt. Add 2-3 teaspoons garlic to the hot pan and move around until fragrant; about 30 seconds. Gradually add 1 cup heavy cream along with the remaining cajun seasoning, 14 oz can of diced tomatoes (Drained), pinch of kosher salt and 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper. Whisk to combine, let simmer and reduce for about 10 minutes, whisking consistently. Once mixture has thickened, remove from heat and mix in 1 cup parmesan cheese to melt.

Add cooked noodles to the skillet and toss to combine. Add splashes of reserved pasta water to thin, as-needed. Taste and more salt or cajun seasoning, if needed. Cut cooked chicken into strips and toss with the pasta in the pan.

Baja Chicken

Photo from Amanda's Cookin'

The BFF came over for dinner and a movie last night, and since the weather was perfect, I was in the mood to fire up the grill. I'd bookmarked this recipe from Amanda's Cookin' a couple of months ago, and luckily I already had everything I needed on hand.

The real secret to this recipe is giving the chicken enough time to soak up all that flavor. The original recipe recommends marinating it for 12 hours, but that's a little too long for my liking when there's this much citrus involved. I've found that five hours is my sweet spot. In my opinion, it's the perfect amount of time to get plenty of flavor without the citrus starting to change the texture of the chicken.

Instead of grilling whole pieces, I cubed the chicken and threaded it onto skewers. More surface area means more marinade on every bite, and skewers are always easy to manage on the grill. It was a win-win.

This marinade was fantastic. The citrus really takes center stage, giving the chicken a bright, bold flavor that stands out without overpowering it. It's fresh, flavorful, and exactly what I want from a summer grilling recipe. This one is definitely making its way into my regular rotation.

Baja Chicken

Recipe from Amanda's Cooking

Serves 4

• 3 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts trimmed
• ½ cup orange juice
• ¼ cup lime juice about 2-3 medium limes
• ½ cup chopped onion
• 1 large jalapeno pepper chopped
• ½ teaspoon lime zest
• ½ teaspoon orange zest
• 3 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons garlic salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

Place chicken breasts into a glass baking dish.

3 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts

Combine all remaining ingredients in a mini food processor. Process ingredients until smooth.

Pour the marinade over the chicken, flipping and moving chicken to ensure all parts are in contact with the marinade. Tuck chicken under the marinade as best you can.

Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for 12 hours.

30 minutes before cooking, remove chicken from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Removing surface moisture prevents the meat from steaming and allows for a better sear and flavorful crust formation.

Prepare grill (or you can cook in a skillet on the stovetop) by preheating to medium-high (about 375-400F). Clean grill grates with a grill brush then apply a thin coating of high point oil using long tongs and a piece of wadded up paper towel dipped in the oil.

Place chicken breasts on grill and cook for several minutes without disturbing. Turn chicken over and cook several more minutes. Continue cooking until internal temperature reaches 165F.

Remove to a clear plate and cover with foil, let rest 5-10 minutes before serving.