Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta with Andouille Sausage
Looking for chicken dinner ideas? This Cajun chicken pasta features smoky chicken and andouille sausage nestled in a spicy cream sauce.
Ingredients
For the Cajun Marinade
- 2 tbsp. smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp. onion powder
- 1 tbsp. garlic powder
- 1 tbsp. dried oregano
- 1 tbsp. dried thyme
- 1 tbsp. salt
- ½ tbsp. coarsely ground black pepper
- 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ cup olive oil extra virgin
For the Cajun Chicken Pasta
- 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts cubed
- 12 oz. andouille sausage sliced to ¼ inch thickness
- 1 lb. cooked pasta I like to use fettucine for this recipe, but it will work with any pasta - for added flavor, boil pasta in water with 2-3 tbsp. of salt.
- 1 cup celery finely chopped
- 1 cup yellow onion finely chopped (white onion will also work)
- 1 cup green bell pepper finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tbsp. flour all purpose
- 1 cup beer I use a light beer here, like a lager
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream or half and half
- 5 oz. parmesan cheese shredded
- 1 large lemon juiced
- ½ cup green onion chopped
- 2 tbsp. parsley chopped (I like flat leaf, but you can use curly)
- 2 tbsp. butter unsalted, divided
- 2 tbsp. olive oil extra virgin, divided
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Marinate the Chicken
- Place chicken in a gallon zipper bag or an airtight plastic container. Mix together the marinade ingredients and pour over chicken, covering thoroughly. Seal container and marinate the chicken at room temperature for 30 minutes. (You may also marinate for longer - up to 24 hours - but place in the refrigerator if you choose to do this.)
Brown the Meat
- Melt 1 tbsp. butter and 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil in the bottom of a large skillet set to medium-high heat.
- When the butter is melted, brown the chicken, in batches, until it is thoroughly cooked, about 8-10 minutes. Be careful not to overcrowd the pan.
- After the chicken is browned, brown the andouille sausage in the same pan for 4-5 minutes. Set all the meat and their juices aside.
Make the Pasta
- Bring salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package instructions. Set aside.
Make the Sauce
- In the same skillet you browned the chicken and sausage (with beautiful brown bits on the bottom), melt 1 tbsp. butter and 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil.
- Add chopped celery, onion, and green bell pepper and sweat the vegetables, about 3-4 minutes. Reduce the temperature to medium heat.
- When the vegetables begin to release their juices, use a wooden spoon to scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the skillet. Continue to cook until the water is evaporated, about 3 minutes.
- Add minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute on medium heat.
- Increase the temperature to medium-high heat and sprinkle vegetables with flour. Cook for 1 minute.
- Deglaze the pan with beer and then chicken broth, scraping up any remaining brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Add heavy cream, salt and pepper to taste, and simmer for 5-6 minutes. The sauce should thicken slightly.
Finish the Dish
- Add cooked pasta, chicken/sausage and their juices to the sauce. Stir in parmesan cheese and the juice of 1 lemon.
- Top pasta with chopped green onion and parsley. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 800kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 46gFat: 52gSaturated Fat: 19gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 23gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 163mgSodium: 1652mgPotassium: 997mgFiber: 6gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 3332IUVitamin C: 33mgCalcium: 362mgIron: 7mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!