Unsure of what to cook for dinner and looking for something quick & easy to make during the week? I’m Meredith Waguespack, owner of Sweet Baton Rouge®. I’m a busy mom to an almost thirteen year old (can’t believe how old he’s gotten) and a mother to two adult children along with 4 grand-children. I try my best to plan dinners with my oldest children once a week, and also cook dinner for a family of three which is so hard by the way, or at least for me.
My days run long, and when my kids were younger, I did try to plan my meals on Sundays to be planned for the week ahead. Today, my meals usually wind up being thrown together the day of, and I have lost my luster to cook on weeknights. I’m sure a lot of you mamas can relate! It was fun to be asked by Red Stick Spice to join Season 3 of the Smidgen Podcast; I loved it so much! I got a chance to listen back, and Anne Milneck, owner of Red Stick Spice and podcaster for Smidgen left me with some great tips to plan ahead as well as left her listeners a great 30-minute meal! I’m going to share that below with you.
Today though, I did want to share my Cajun Chicken Pasta with you. It’s a quick, yummy, family-favorite at the Waguespack house! I make this often for my family but also for my daughter’s family. They are a family of 6 with one more on the way!
I find so much joy getting to cook dinner, especially when it’s a successful dinner with my family at that! I double this recipe if I’m feeding the whole family or follow the recipe below if I’m cooking for just three of us for dinner. I hope you enjoy making this one with yours!
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons of Red Stick Spice extra olive oil
- Heavy sprinkle of Tony Chachere’s
- 8 ounces penne pasta
- 2 servings of Medlee seasoned garlic parm butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (Save a step & buy the already minced garlic like I do!)
- 1 cup heavy cream, or more, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS:
- In a gallon size Ziploc bag, add chicken, 1 tablespoon extra olive oil and Tony Chachere’s seasoning, shaking to coat thoroughly in the bag.
- Heat 1 tablespoon extra olive oil in a pan (I love to use my dutch oven for everything) over medium high heat. Add chicken and cook, flipping once, until cooked through, about 5-6 minutes on each side. Set aside and keep warm.
- In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions and drain well.
- Melt your garlic parm butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
- Gradually whisk in heavy cream and lemon zest. Whisk constantly until incorporated, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in Parmesan until slightly thickened, about 1-2 minutes. If the mixture is too thick, add more heavy cream as needed. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Stir in pasta, and gently toss to combine.
- Cube your chicken and toss it in with your pasta and sauce, and you’re ready to enjoy your Cajun Chicken Pasta!
Want to add a second recipe to your cookbook? Watch Anne Milneck prepare her Easy Chicken Tikka Masala on Facebook Live for you. You’ll love just how easy this one is!
XOXO | Meredith
