Creamy Cajun Chicken and Sausage Pasta
Ingredients
3 tablespoon butter, (unsalted and divided)
1 lb. chicken breasts
6 oz. smoked sausage, (sliced into ¼ inch pieces)
8 oz. baby Bella mushrooms, (sliced)
Cajun seasoning, to taste
Italian seasoning, to taste
Salt and pepper, (to taste, optional)
Creamy Parmesan Sauce:
4 cloves garlic, (minced)
1 cup chicken broth, (sodium free)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon Paprika
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¾ cup Parmesan cheese, (freshly grated for best results)
sea salt, (to taste)
Pasta:
8 oz. penne pasta
Directions
Boil pasta in salty water according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
Generously season chicken with salt, pepper, Cajun and Italian seasonings. Do not slice it yet – you will be cooking it whole. Slice sausage into ¼ inch circles and slice mushrooms.
In a large skillet, add 1 tablespoon butter and melt it over medium high heat. When the pan is hot, add whole chicken breasts and cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side until browned for a total of 8-10 minutes. Remove chicken onto a plate and slice into strips.
Add sliced sausage pieces and brown them on medium heat for 2-3 minutes on each side until darker in color around the edges. Remove from the skillet onto a plate.
Deglaze the pan with a splash of water and add 2nd tablespoon of butter and sliced mushrooms into the skillet (add more butter as well, if needed). Saute until your mushrooms should look nice and moist, and dark. Once cooked, remove them from the pan as well.
To make the sauce, add remaining 1 tablespoon butter to the pan, allow it to melt and then cook garlic in it until slightly browned – only for a couple of minutes. Next add chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce and heavy cream and bring to a light simmer. Add Cajun seasoning, paprika and garlic powder and mix into the sauce.
Add Parmesan cheese and whisk to blend for 2-3 minutes to thicken the sauce. Taste the sauce and add salt to taste.
Add cooked pasta into the sauce and mix in well. Next add the chicken, sausage and mushrooms back into the pan and allow them to reheat for 2-3 minutes. Close the lid to help the heat stay in. Serve immediately!
