Creamy Cajun Chicken Fettuccini Recipe
When it comes to comfort food with a kick, few dishes hit the mark like my Creamy Cajun Chicken Fettuccine Recipe. It's the kind of meal that ignites your taste buds, with bold flavors, a creamy, velvety sauce, and hearty pasta to bring it all together. But this flavorful dish is more than just dinner—it's a celebration of Louisiana's rich Cajun heritage, a tip of the hat to Southern culinary roots, and, for those of us from North Louisiana, a proud reminder that our roots run just as deep, even if our gumbo isn't coastal.In this blog post, we’ll walk through how to make Creamy Cajun Chicken Fettuccine, explore Cajun culture and ingredients, and dive into cooking tips, variations, and storage tips that’ll have this dish in your regular weeknight rotation.
Equipment
- 1 large skillet
- 1 large pot
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons Tony's Cajun Seasoning salt
- 2 teaspoons Paprika
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil you can substitute olive oil
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 lb. fettuccini pasta
- 4 tablespoons of butter salted
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon chicken powder
- 1 cup grated parmesan
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Red pepper flakes to taste optional for spice level
- Green onions for garnish optional
Instructions
Cooking the chicken:
- First, add the garlic powder, onion powder, seasoning salt, and paprika to a small bowl and mix. This will make seasoning your chicken breasts easier.
- Second, season both sides of the boneless skinless chicken breast on a cutting board or a clean plate.
- Third, add the avocado oil to a large skillet and turn the heat to medium-high.
- Then, sear the chicken on both sides for 3-5 minutes to get golden brown and seal in all the juices.
- Next, add the water to the pan with the chicken and let it cook until mostly evaporated. The water will help the chicken stay moist and tender.
- Once the water has evaporated, remove the chicken from the pan and place it on a cutting board to cool.
- Finally, once the chicken has cooled and the juices have redistributed, thinly slice the chicken breasts and set aside.
Cooking the Pasta:
- First, fill a pot with cool water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Second, cook the fettuccini according to package directions.
- Third, drain and rinse the pasta, then set it aside.
Making the sauce:
- First, melt 1/2 stick of salted butter in a pan over medium heat.
- Second, add the flour to the melted butter and whisk until smooth, eliminating any lumps.
- Third, let the butter and flour cook for about a minute to eliminate the raw flour flavor. This is your roux for your alfredo sauce, and we aren't trying to brown it or develop any color. We call this a blonde roux.
- Then, add the milk and heavy cream to the blonde roux and whisk.
- Next, add chicken powder, grated parmesan cheese, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Whisk it all together and bring to a low simmer.
- Add the sliced chicken breasts to the sauce and stir to combine.
- This is the moment to taste your sauce and adjust the seasoning as needed.
Putting it all together:
- First, add the cooked fettuccine to the sauce and mix with tongs until all the pasta is coated and the chicken is evenly distributed throughout the dish.
- Finally, sprinkle with chopped green onions and serve immediately with your favorite side dish and some crusty garlic bread!