Cajun Chicken Pasta

Another favorite of Grant's and mine....this is a recipe I adapted from one on Allrecipes. The original had lots of cream and butter and a whopping 80 grams of fat per serving! I couldn't stand to make it that way, so I lightened it up and added more veggies. I also now use a homemade Cajun seasoning, since I couldn't find any in the store anymore. Probably cheaper and healthier that way anyways. Give this one a try...you won't be sorry.

Recipe:

1 (13.25) box whole wheat rotini
1-1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 T. olive oil
1 T. Cajun seasoning (recipe to follow)
1 lb. bag green, yellow, and red pepper strips (I get this from Trader Joes....if you don't have that available, use whatever fresh peppers you like)
2 t. dried minced onion
12 oz. evaporated milk (fat free is fine)
3/4 cup milk
2 T. cornstarch
1/2 t. dried basil
1/2 t. lemon pepper seasoning
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. black pepper
14-16 oz frozen broccoli florets, or use fresh if desired
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (shredded or grated)

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook as directed on package. Drain.
Dice the chicken into bite-sized cubes and saute in olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the Cajun seasoning and cook until almost tender. Add the pepper strips and minced onion and stir for a couple of minutes. Pour in the evaporated milk, then whisk the cornstarch into the regular milk until dissolved and add that as well. Add all remaining seasonings and broccoli and simmer until broccoli is tender. Sprinkle in Parmesan cheese and stir to combine. If mixture seems too thin, let it simmer uncovered a little while longer. (or add a little more cornstarch if you want.)
Return pasta to the large pot. Pour chicken mixture over pasta and stir. Serve with additional Parmesan cheese and garlic toast, if desired.

Cajun Seasoning:

2-1/2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon ground black pepper

Mix all ingredients together in a ziplock bag or empty spice container and shake well to combine.
Makes 6-1/2 Tablespoons, enough to make this pasta dish 6 times!!!





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