Cajun Chicken Pasta

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Total time: 30 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 1 Tbsp. Cajun seasoning
• 8 oz. penne pasta
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup heavy cream, or more, to taste
• 1/2 tsp. lemon zest
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 Roma tomato, diced
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions:

1. In a gallon size Ziploc bag, add chicken, 1 Tbsp. olive oil and Cajun seasoning, shaking to coat thoroughly.
2. Heat remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a grill pan over medium high heat. Add chicken and cook, flipping once, until cooked through, about 5-6 minutes on each side. Set aside and keep warm.
3. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well.
4. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
5. Gradually whisk in heavy cream and lemon zest. Cook, whisking constantly, until incorporated, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in Parmesan until slightly thickened, about 1-2 minutes. If the mixture is too thick, add more heavy cream as needed; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
6. Stir in pasta and gently toss to combine.
7. Serve immediately with chicken, garnished with tomatoes and parsley, if desired.

*Recipe from damndelicious.net