I changed up the recipe a little and grilled my chicken instead of pan frying it. It’s up to you how you want to cook it. We liked the sauce on the pasta it was nice and spicy, but I think it’s mostly because I had a fresh bottle of red pepper flakes haha! The sauce was nice, if it seems thin, let it sit a few minutes and it will thicken up.
Lemon Pepper Cajun Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo
(Adapted from Half Baked Harvest)
1 pound linguine or fettuccine
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
6 chicken cutlets or 1 pound tenders
2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
1 1/2 cups, plus 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
kosher salt and black pepper
4 tablespoons salted butter
3 cloves garlic, chopped
crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta al dente, according to package directions. Drain.
In a bowl, toss together the olive oil, chicken, cajun seasoning, 2 tablespoons parmesan, and a big pinch of pepper.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large pan set over medium-high heat, add the chicken and sear until deeply golden on both sides, 5 minutes per side. Turn the heat off and pour over the lemon juice. Transfer to a plate. (I grilled my chicken for added flavor.)
To the same pan, add 2 tablespoons butter, the garlic, and chili flakes. Cook 1 minute, until fragrant, then pour in the broth and milk. Whisk until smooth. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer and cook 5 minutes, until slightly thickened.
Stir in 1 1/2 cups parmesan, then toss in the pasta. Cook 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley.
Serve immediately topped with sliced chicken and parsley.
Notes
Homemade Cajun Seasoning: mix 2 1/2 tablespoons smoked paprika, 2 tablespoons garlic powder, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 1 tablespoon dried thyme, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper, 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt, and 1 tablespoon black pepper. Makes 3/4 cup.
