Creamy Chicken and Sausage Cajun Pasta

Step 1

Prep the vegetables and meat. Cut the green peppers and onions into slices, and slice the sausage (if using). Cut the chicken into bite-sized chunks (on a separate cutting board to avoid cross contamination). Set aside.

Step 2

Place a large pot of water with salt, over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. When the water comes to a boil, add the pasta and set the timer for 10 minutes. Drain the pasta, but reserve 1 - 2 cups of the pasta water.

Step 3

While, the pasta is cooking, place another large non-stick pan or pot over medium-high heat and drizzle some oil.

Step 4

When the pan is hot, add the chicken, generous ¼ tsp salt, 1 tbsp cajun seasoning and mix well. Increase heat to high, and cook the chicken for 5 minutes, until it shows good caramelization (about 5 - 6 minutes, depends on the heat of your pan). Place the chicken in a separate bowl and set aside until needed.

Step 5

Optional step - add more oil, and then add the sliced andouille sausages and fry until they start to show some good caramelization as well (about 5 minutes). Set aside.

Step 6

Add the onion, garlic, green pepper, rest of the cajun seasoning, generous pinch of salt, and 1 tsp brown sugar to the same pan. Saute until the onion softens.

Step 7

Add the crushed tomatoes, blackened chicken and sausages, milk/cream mix, and stir to combine. Taste and season with more salt if needed. Add some of the pasta water if the mix is too thick, and stir to combine. Bring the pasta sauce to a simmer.

Step 8

Mix in the cooked pasta and toss to combine. If you'd like more pasta sauce, you can add up to another cup of milk or pasta water. Let the pasta simmer in the sauce for about a minute or two.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Step 9

Serve with extra black pepper on top (optional), and freshly grated parmesan. Enjoy!