My creamy Cajun chicken alfredo, ready in 15 minutes. Fettuccine, tender chicken and zucchini in a spiced Parmesan cream sauce. One pan for the sauce.
Cajun Chicken Alfredo
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Servings
1
Prep time
10 minutes
Cook time
15 minutes
This one takes me back to working in cafes in Auckland, the classic cajun chicken alfredo. If you're wanting a comforting pasta dish that's nice and creamy, well this is your recipe! It's an Americanised pasta dish that use a heavy cream to thicken the sauce and a cajun spice blend to season it. It's great for a quick, hearty meal during the week as it doesn't have too many ingredients and it's very quick to make. This recipe is just for one person, but you can easily scale up if you're making it for 2 or more people.
Ingredient Notes
Cajun spice blend: Every brand is slightly different and they often have a fair bit of salt in them, so make sure you taste the dish with the seasoning in it before adding the additional salt.
Chicken breast: Cut your chicken breasts into strips around the same thickness as the zuchinni so they cook at the same rate. Breast is known to dry out fast, so we'll just get it brown on the outside before adding the cream in to continue cooking.
Parmesan: I recommend buying a block and grating it yourself. I'm not a fan of pre-grated parmesan as it's coated in anti-caking agents to stop it melting and doesn't give the same result.
Equipment
Medium pot (for boiling pasta)
Medium saucier (or frying pan)
Chef’s knife
Chopping board
Fine grater
Tongs
Ingredients
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2 zucchini (courgettes)
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1 chicken breast, boneless, skinless
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1 tbsp olive oil
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1 ½ tsp Cajun spice blend
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100g (3.5 oz) dried fettuccine pasta
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100ml (3.3 fl oz) thickened/heavy cream
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30g (1 oz) Parmesan cheese
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salt to taste
Directions
Prep your ingredients
Place a medium pot of lightly salted water on high heat to boil.
Slice the zucchini in half lengthwise, then slice on an angle about 1cm thick.
Slice the chicken into strips, a similar thickness to the courgettes.
The cook
Preheat a medium saucier on high heat with the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken, ¼ tsp salt, Cajun seasoning and courgettes. Stir to combine.
Place the pasta into the boiling water for 8-12 minutes (depending on the brand you’re using) until al dente.
Once the chicken becomes golden brown and the courgettes begin to sweat, turn the heat down to medium and add the cream. As the cream reduces, the chicken will finish cooking. Continue simmering for 6-7 minutes until the chicken is cooked through, the cream has thickened and become glossy. Taste and adjust the seasoning until you’re happy with the flavour. Turn the heat down to low until the pasta is ready.
Once the pasta is cooked, use tongs to remove the pasta from the boiling water and add to the chicken. Finely grate the Parmesan cheese and toss through the sauce to combine, then plate.
Recipe notes
Chef's Notes
Keep the pasta water
When you drain the pasta from the water, reserve the cooking water in case you need to add some to the saucier to thin out the sauce. When you boil pasta, lots of the starch stays in the water, which is why it’s great for adding to sauces. The starch helps to give the sauce a natural creamy texture, which is ideal if you need to thin the sauce.
Simmer the cream
Make sure you turn down the heat before you add the cream. If you keep the heat up high, there's a good chance it will split. You want it to simmer, not boil.
Storage
You can store the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container for up to three days. When you go to reheat this dish, place the pasta in a frying pan or pot with a splash of water and a lid on top. Place over low heat and gently warm through for 10 minutes to prevent the cream from splitting.
FAQs
Can I use another pasta? If you do not have fettuccine, penne or rigatoni are good alternatives because their ridges hold onto the thick sauce perfectly.
Can I use another protein? If you don’t have chicken breast lying around, strips of pork tenderloin, peeled prawns, or smoked sausage work well with this recipe.
I don't have a saucier. If you don’t have a saucier at home, using a frying pan or medium saucepan will work just as well.
Can I make it gluten or dairy free? Both. Swap the fettuccine for a gluten free pasta, and check your Cajun blend, since some use wheat flour as a bulking agent. For dairy free, coconut cream is the closest substitute in body, though it brings its own flavour. Leave the Parmesan out or use a hard vegan alternative.
