Cajun Chicken Fettuccine for #ImprovCooking

Welcome to #ImprovCookingChallenge - where for the month of February we are given the ingredients of Tomatoes and Pasta to combine in a recipe of our choosing to share with you. Find our group on Facebook if you're interested in joining in the fun; Nicole from Cookaholic Wife hosts our group! 

Tomatoes and pasta!! I mean there are so many different ways you could take that - initially I thought of something in the Caprese flavor family, but then a Cajun chicken pasta made it onto my radar and so here we are!  

The spice mix that is used for the chicken in this dish is wonderful - packed with amazing flavors, and not overly salty at all which I've had issues with in some of the cajun seasoning blends I've bought pre-mixed before. I like having the control of what goes in - and any leftover you have is pretty easy to use up in something like Jambalaya, Gumbo, or like I did - just rubbed all over a whole roasted turkey or chicken. Yumm!

This dish is just wonderful - so completely creamy and rich, and that flavorful herb crusted chicken really makes this one. The little pops of sundried tomato add another element of happy to this dish. I had sundried tomatoes that weren't oil packed, and think I would have preferred the oil packed ones, I think they might have a little bit of a stronger flavor profile which would have been extra delicious! Whichever type you have and use though, they are a really great addition to this dish. 

See all of our delicious recipes that we're sharing with you today!

Improv Cooking Challenge: February 2021

Tomatoes & Pasta

• Cameroon Chicken & Tomato Stew with CousCous from Pandemonium Noshery
• Cajun Chicken Fettuccine from Making Miracles
• Southwest Pasta Salad from Palatable Pastime
• Baked Feta Tomato Fettuccine from Cookaholic Wife
• Pasta with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Pepper Sauce by Magical Ingredients
• TikTok Feta Cheese and Tomato Pasta from Our Good Life
• Mediterranean Chicken and Orzo from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Indian Style Pink Sauce Pasta from Sneha's Recipe

Cajun Chicken Alfredo

Ingredients

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/4 pounds)

Blackening Spice Rub, recipe follows

2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided use

3 Tablespoons minced garlic, jarred

1/4 cup dry white wine

3 cups heavy cream

3/4 - 1 cup roughly chopped sun-dried tomatoes

1/2 - 3/4 cup grated Parmesan

1/2 teaspoon salt, more to taste

1/4 teaspoon black pepper, more to taste

8-oz fettuccine

Blackening Spice Rub:

1 Tablespoon granulated garlic

1 Tablespoon black pepper

1/2 Tablespoon salt

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons granulated onion

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Prepare the seasoning mix by combining all in a small ziploc bag or resealable container. Mix until evenly blended.
3. Rub the chicken with a heavy amount of seasoning on both sides (I only used about 2 TBS total, save the extra for another use).
4. Heat 1 TBS oil in a large nonstick skillet, and sear the seasoned chicken for about 3 minutes per side, until well browned. Gently move chicken to a baking sheet, and bake in the preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes, or until it reaches 165 degrees internally.
5. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and cook the fettuccine while the chicken bakes. When it reaches al dente, drain the water, and set aside.
6. When chicken is almost done, clean out the skillet you used previously and heat remaining oil. Sauté the garlic for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Whisk in the wine followed by the heavy cream. Bring to a simmer. When sauce has reduced by about half and thickened, stir in the seasonings, Parmesan and sundried tomatoes. Taste, adjust seasonings if desired.
7. Slice or dice chicken and mix into the sauce, or slice and serve it over the top of the pasta instead if preferred.
8. Mix in the pasta and toss gently to coat. Serve and enjoy!   

Recipe adapted from Food