It’s no secret that I love pasta. And cream based sauces are my absolute favorite.

There is a restaurant in Auburn, Brick Oven Pizza, that we’d always go to when parents were in town. And while their pizzas and calzones are fantastic (I love their crust), it’s their Cajun Chicken Pasta that I always order.

Now that I’m living in Ohio (with a newborn) trips to Auburn are going to be very few and far between. So when I saw this recipe on Pinterest, it looked exactly like Brick Oven’s pasta dish that I love so much. It was immediately pinned and finally prepared. I switched out the pasta shape to penne and added mushrooms and parmesan cheese.

I have intentions of making a few more Auburn favorites in the coming year. War Eagle!

Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta

Ingredients:

• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1/8 tsp onion powder
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
• 8 oz penne pasta
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 red bell pepper, diced
• 1/4 green bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 4 oz mushrooms, diced
• 2 C half-and-half
• 1 C heavy cream
• 2/3 C shredded parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp water
• 3 scallions, sliced

Steps:

1. In a small bowl, combine paprika, garlic powder, oregano, thyme, salt, pepper, onion powder, and cayenne. (Alternatively, you can use Cajun seasoning.)
2. Season chicken with half of the spice mix from Step 1 and S+P.
3. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Brown chicken. When cooked through, remove and set aside.
4. In the same pot, add more olive oil if needed. Saute bell peppers, onion, and mushroom. Season with the remaining spice mix from Step 1 and S+P. Cook until vegetables are tender. (Note: if you’d like a little spice to your pasta add a little extra cayenne pepper at this step.)
5. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
6. Add half-and-half and heavy cream to the vegetables. Bring to a boil and add in the parmesan cheese.
7. In a small bowl whisk together the cornstarch and water. Pour into the cream sauce. Reduce to a simmer and allow to cook until thickened. Add cooked chicken and pasta to the sauce and toss. Stir in the scallions. Garnish with additional Cajun seasoning if desired.

*This recipe is modified from Annie at http://www.annies-eats.com/2009/07/10/louisiana-chicken-pasta/*