Cajun Chicken Pasta: A One-Pot Wonder That Is Mess-Free
One-pot pasta recipes are my favourite because, let's face it, who loves to clean up after a delicious meal? In the culinary arts, cleaning up may be a necessary evil, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. In my culinary playbook, a recipe is a definite win when it reduces the aftermath to just a saucepan and a cutting board. And you can find me happily savouring every bite when that recipe is this incredibly delicious Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta.
For those who are not familiar with "one-pot" pasta, the idea is simple: everything is prepared in a single pot. That being said, you don't have to add everything at once (though in a simplified world, you could). Rather, two phases need to be completed.
The pasta's flavorful sauce is made from the water (or, in this case, chicken stock) used to cook it, which adds even more specialness to the dish. It "self-sauces," which gives the dish's creamy goodness a nice finishing touch.
I used a method I had from my carbonara recipe to boost the creaminess. When I finished the recipe, I whisked in some quark and an egg after turning off the heat. Similar to carbonara, the egg is cooked by the residual heat without becoming scrambled, creating a smooth, silky sauce. Fromage frais can be used in place of quark if that is not available.
This recipe is a guilt-free indulgence because it is both a creamy delight and syn-free. It also takes about 30 minutes to prepare, making it a convenient choice for satisfying midweek cravings for a hearty dinner without the guilt associated with takeout.
But watch out for the water level; since you won't be emptying it, it's vital. While stirring is necessary to avoid sticking, it is well worth the ten minutes to watch the stove.
Although I added some cheese to the egg and quark (which is optional and part of the recipe), you are free to omit it if you'd rather or are trying to limit your intake of HexA. Cheese or not, this dish is still very tasty.
I wondered about making my own Cajun spice seasoning as I thought about this recipe. That is an option for adventurous cooks, but I wanted to keep this recipe simple enough for weekday cooking, so I went with the easy and delicious Schwartz Cajun Seasoning.
You are welcome to modify the amount of seasoning according to your personal tastes. The outcome will be a delectable dish regardless of whether you choose a strong Cajun flavour or a softer touch.
Make sure to turn off the heat and not add any more heat to the saucepan before adding the egg at the end. It takes patience to combine the egg, quark, and cheese (if desired) while it's still heated. Then, pour the mixture onto the dish and stir rapidly until the sauce thickens. The secret is to distribute the heat evenly so that you end up with a rich sauce rather than scrambled eggs.
Ingredients:
400–500g of pasta, penne
Two Meals for Muscle Cut chicken breasts into tiny cubes.
Two red peppers, thinly sliced
One thinly sliced onion
Four tablespoons of cajun spice (plus additional for dusting)
One-litre chicken broth
One Egg
two tablespoons of fromage frais or quark
35g of optionally grated cheddar cheese
Add pepper and salt to taste.
Fry Light
Instructions:
Cook the chicken breast with two tablespoons of Cajun seasoning in a large saucepan until it is cooked through. Put away.
Add the remaining Cajun seasoning to the peppers and onion and sauté until softened, using Fry Light.
After adding the pasta to the saucepan, add just enough chicken stock to cover it.
Simmer over low heat, stirring frequently. When the pasta is cooked and the chicken stock has formed a glossy sauce that coats the pasta, gradually add more stock as needed. Add the cooked chicken and stir.
Take the pasta off of the burner.
Combine the egg, quark, and cheese (if using) in a different bowl. Ensure that the pasta is evenly coated as you pour in this mixture. Stir the sauce until it thickens, which will indicate that the egg is done.
After dividing the pasta, garnish with a dash of Cajun seasoning and a tiny spoonful of quark.
Savour right away!
Notes:
Slimming World offers free syn. If you use cheese, syn it or include it in your HexA.
Cajun Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 400-500 g of pasta penne
- 2 Meals for Muscle Cut chicken breasts into tiny cubes.
- 2 red peppers thinly sliced
- 1 thinly sliced onion
- 4 tbsp of cajun spice plus additional for dusting
- 1 l chicken broth
- 1 Egg
- 2 tbsp of fromage frais/quark
- 35 g of grated cheddar cheese (optional)
- Add pepper and salt to taste.
- Fry Light
Instructions
- Cook the chicken breast with two tablespoons of Cajun seasoning in a large saucepan until it is cooked through. Put away.
- Add the remaining Cajun seasoning to the peppers and onion and sauté until softened, using Fry Light.
- After adding the pasta to the saucepan, add just enough chicken stock to cover it.
- Simmer over low heat, stirring frequently. When the pasta is cooked and the chicken stock has formed a glossy sauce that coats the pasta, gradually add more stock as needed. Add the cooked chicken and stir.
- Take the pasta off of the burner.
- Combine the egg, quark, and cheese (if using) in a different bowl. Ensure that the pasta is evenly coated as you pour in this mixture. Stir the sauce until it thickens, which will indicate that the egg is done.
- After dividing the pasta, garnish with a dash of Cajun seasoning and a tiny spoonful of quark.
- Savour right away!