Indulge Yourself!

Crispy Cajun Chicken Alfredo! Ok, not your every day indulgence for sure, but definitely worth the occasional splurge! My new recipe pairs a crispy chicken breast with a creamy Fettuccini Alfredo, and all perfectly seasoned with Cajun spices. And like so many of my recipes, this one is super easy to make!

As with all recipes, always prepare your ingredients first so that they are ready when you need them. In this case, two of my favorite Cajun seasonings, one sliced orange bell pepper, one half onion, thinly sliced, two tablespoons each of fresh chopped scallions and parsley. and six minced garlic cloves.

For the crispy chicken breasts, I prepared my breading station by combining one tablespoon of Cajun seasoning with one cup of flour, two beaten eggs with a splash of water, and seasoned Panko bread crumbs.

First up was the chicken. I heated one quarter cup of extra virgin olive oil with two tablespoons of butter in my large cast iron skillet. In the meantime, I dredged the chicken cutlets in the flour mixture, shaking off the excess, then into the egg, and finally the bread crumbs. Once the oil and butter were hot, I added the chicken breasts, two at a time.

I cooked them for three minutes and then flipped once they had achieved a beautiful golden brown crust.

Once the chicken had all been cooked, I removed it to a sheet pan lined with a rack, sprinkled them with Cajun seasoning and salt, and placed them into a 200 degree oven to keep them warm while I prepared the fettuccini and sauce.

In the same skilled, I added the pepper and onion with a tablespoon of Cajun seasoning, cooked until softened and translucent, about five minutes, and then added the garlic, cooking for one minute more.

I deglazed the skillet with one quarter cup of white wine, scraped up the bits of flavor on the bottom, and allowed the wine to reduce by half.

I added three cups of heavy cream, another tablespoon each of both Cajun seasonings, and one can of diced tomatoes with chilies. I allowed the sauce to simmer for several minutes until it had begun to thicken.

To finish the sauce, I added one half cup of grated parmesan cheese, the chopped parsley, and one more tablespoon of butter to give it that silky, glossy texture. Perfection.

When the sauce was nearly ready, I tasted for seasoning, and then I added two pounds of fresh fettuccini to salted boiling water, cooking for two minutes. (Dried pasta would work too but you will need to start it around the same time as the sauce since dried pasta takes longer to cook than fresh pasta.) I drained the fettuccini, added it back to the pot, poured over the sauce, and used tongs to thoroughly combine and coat the pasta.

I started with a mound of pasta in the center of each plate, and then topped with one of the crispy chicken breasts which I sliced. I finished each plate with the chopped scallions, more fresh Parmesan cheese, and another dusting of Cajun seasoning.

I think it is an unwritten law (or maybe even written?) that every good pasta needs a good hunk of bread. In this case, cheesy garlic bread. I cut a small French baguette in half, slathered with garlic butter, and then topped with Parmesan and mozzarella. I baked at 375 degrees for fifteen minutes, and then turned on the broiler for several minutes until the top was browned and bubbly.

More deliciousness and some exciting news coming soon!!!