Cajun Chicken Alfredo Pasta
A spicy twist on the classic Alfredo, featuring Cajun-seasoned chicken, creamy sauce, and rigatoni pasta.
Ingredients
Pasta
- 16 ounces rigatoni pasta
Chicken
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts sliced and pounded thin
Seasonings
- 1 tablespoon garlic and herb seasoning
- 2 teaspoons cajun seasoning
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 0.5 teaspoon ground black pepper
Oils and Fats
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil
- 4 tablespoons butter
Aromatics
- 5 cloves garlic minced
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 0.5 cup chicken stock
- 3 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
Pasta Water
- 1 cup pasta water reserved
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook rigatoni until al dente, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.
- Season chicken with a mixture of garlic and herb seasoning, Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Cook chicken in a skillet with avocado oil until seared and cooked through, then set aside.
- Sauté garlic, tomato paste, and deglaze the skillet with chicken stock. Add heavy cream and mix until combined.
- Add parmesan cheese to the sauce and mix until smooth. Combine sauce with cooked rigatoni, adding reserved pasta water as needed.
- Return chicken to the skillet, toss everything together, and serve hot.
Notes
Add a splash of reserved pasta water if the sauce becomes too thick.