Description
Cajun alfredo pasta with garlic butter chicken bites brings together creamy sauce and spiced chicken that work perfectly with your pasta. Just toss tender chicken pieces in garlic butter, combine them with your alfredo, and season everything with cajun spices for a dish that tastes like comfort in every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and dairy:
- 12 ounces fettuccine pasta
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
Protein and seasonings:
- 1 pound chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons cajun seasoning
- salt and pepper to taste
Garnish:
- 0.25 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Boil 12 oz of fettuccine in a large pot of salted water at a rolling boil for 8-10 minutes until al dente, then drain and set aside ½ cup of the starchy cooking water for later.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat at 375°F, then season your 1 lb of bite-sized chicken pieces with salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning.
- Cook the chicken for 6-8 minutes until the pieces turn golden brown and cook through completely, then transfer them to a clean plate.
- Reduce your skillet’s heat to medium and melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, stirring in your 4 minced garlic cloves and heating for 1-2 minutes until the aroma becomes fragrant.
- Pour 1 cup of heavy cream into the skillet and mix it gently with the garlic butter, then add your remaining 1 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning and let everything simmer for 3-5 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Add the drained fettuccine directly to your sauce and toss it to coat evenly, using some of that reserved pasta water if your sauce feels too thick.
- Sprinkle in 1 cup of grated Parmesan cheese while stirring until it melts completely and creates a creamy texture, adjusting salt and pepper to your taste.
- Divide the finished pasta among your serving plates and arrange the cooked chicken bites on top, then finish with ¼ cup of chopped fresh parsley scattered across each portion.
Notes
- Reserve your pasta water before draining because it thins out the sauce perfectly if things get too thick when you’re combining everything together.
- Cook your chicken until it’s golden brown on the outside but still juicy inside, which takes about 6-8 minutes depending on the size of your pieces.
- Add the Cajun seasoning in two parts—one for the chicken and one for the cream—so the spice flavor builds throughout the dish without becoming overwhelming.
- Grate your Parmesan fresh rather than using pre-shredded, as it melts into the sauce much more smoothly and gives your dish a silkier texture.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15-20 minutes
- Category: More Chicken Recipes
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American Cajun
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 562 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 490 mg
- Fat: 33 g
- Saturated Fat: 19 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 39 g
- Cholesterol: 125 mg