Coming up with meals on a budget has been challenging. Especially when there hasn’t been much in the pantry. But, we had noodles. We had chicken. We had cream. Let’s make an alfredo dish! And to spice it up a bit, I made it cajun style. So here’s my make-shift recipe for Cajun Chicken Alfredo:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp cajun seasoning
16 ounces farefalle pasta
2 tbsp unsalted butter
3 tbsp minced garlic
16 ounces heavy cream, or more, to taste
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1/4 cup grated Paremsan
Salt and pepper to taste
Parsley for garnish
Directions
In a gallon size Ziploc bag, add chicken, 1 tbsp of olive oil and cajun seasoning. Shake to coat thoroughly.
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a pan over medium high heat. Add chicken and cook, flipping once. Cook through about 5-6 minutes on each side.
In a large pot of boiling water, cook pasta according to package directions; drain.
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook stirring frequently about 1-2 minutes.
Gradually wisk in the heavy cream and lemon zest. Cook until incorporated about 1-2 minutes. Stir in Parmesan until slightly thickened about 1-2 minutes. If the mixture is too thick, add more cream as needed. Also add salt and pepper as desired.
Stir in pasta and toss to combine.
Chop the chicken in strips or cubes and add to the pasta mixture. Serve with parsley if desired.
This recipe can also be used with shrimp.