Description
Indulgent Tuscan Garlic Chicken Bites paired with a creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Cajun Alfredo Pasta, featuring tender Cajun-spiced chicken bites sautéed to perfection and tossed in a rich garlic cream sauce with sun-dried tomatoes and Parmesan cheese. This comforting, flavorful dish is perfect for a cozy dinner and comes together in just 45 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasonings
- 1 lb Chicken Breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tbsp Cajun Seasoning
- Salt, to taste
- Black Pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 tbsp Butter
Pasta
- 8 oz Fusilli or Rotini Pasta
- Salt, for pasta water
- ½ cup reserved pasta water (from cooking)
Sauce
- 3 cloves Garlic, freshly minced
- ½ cup Sun-Dried Tomatoes
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- 1 cup Parmesan Cheese, freshly grated
Garnish
- ¼ cup Fresh Parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Cut chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and coat them evenly with Cajun seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Heat olive oil and butter together in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté the chicken pieces for 6-8 minutes until they are golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fusilli or rotini pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente, typically about 8-10 minutes. Before draining, reserve ½ cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta thoroughly.
- Make the Sauce: In the same skillet used for the chicken, add additional olive oil if needed and reduce heat to medium-low. Sauté the freshly minced garlic for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Add sun-dried tomatoes followed by the heavy cream. Simmer the mixture for approximately 5 minutes, stirring frequently until the sauce thickens.
- Add Cheese and Seasoning: Stir in the freshly grated Parmesan cheese into the sauce until it melts and blends completely. Taste and adjust seasoning by adding more Cajun seasoning, salt, and black pepper as desired.
- Toss Pasta with Sauce: Return the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss to coat evenly in the sauce. Gradually mix in the reserved pasta water to achieve your preferred sauce consistency.
- Combine Chicken and Pasta: Add the sautéed chicken bites back into the skillet. Mix everything together and heat for another 2-3 minutes until warmed through.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley on top for garnish before serving your indulgent Tuscan garlic chicken bites with sun-dried tomato Cajun Alfredo pasta.
Notes
- You can substitute chicken breasts with turkey or tofu to suit dietary preferences.
- For a lighter cream, use half-and-half or preferred non-dairy cream alternatives.
- Adjust the amount of Cajun seasoning to control spice level according to your taste.
- If sun-dried tomatoes are unavailable, fresh cherry tomatoes can be used as a substitute.
- Reserve pasta water helps achieve a silky sauce consistency when tossing pasta.
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese offers the best melting quality and flavor.
