Cajun Chicken Pasta

One of my favorite things to order when I go out to eat is some form of Cajun Chicken Pasta.  One of my favorite versions of this dish can be found at the Cheesecake Factory, Louisiana Chicken Pasta.  Crispy chicken, pasta, peppers and onions in a yummy creamy sauce...ringing in at a sweet 2352 calories.  I will not admit to anyone how many times I have eaten that particular dish.  Not even to myself.

So, I decided to challenge myself to find a yummy recipe that would not cause me to eat an entire day's calories (and then some) in one meal.  I researched a few different recipes and did some combining...for a first try, it turned out pretty darn good.

Ingredients:
6 oz. of boneless, skinless chicken breast; sliced into strips
3 teaspoons of cajun seasoning
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 oz of uncooked pasta (I used bowtie pasta because that is what they do at The Cheesecake Factory)
2 peppers, chopped (I used one red pepper and one orange pepper)
1/2 of a medium red onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups of fat free half and half
1 tablespoon of cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon of dried basil
1/8 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/8 teaspoon of black pepper

Directions:
1.  Combine the cajun seasoning and strips of chicken and set aside while starting the pasta
2.  Cook the pasta to al dente.  Drain and set aside.
3.  Heat the oil in a pan (I used the one of my that looks like a wok, but isn't) and cook the chicken until it is done.  Take cooked chicken out of the pan and set aside.
4.  Cook the peppers and onions to your liking.  (I have no times here people...I cook by looking and tasting)
5.  Measure out the fat free half and half and mix in the cornstarch.
6.  Add the chicken back into the pan with the onions and peppers and stir.  Then add the half and half/cornstarch mixture and the spices.  (I measured the spices out ahead of time so I could just dump it all in the pan.)
7.  Add the pasta back into the mix and continue to stir until the sauce gets to you desired thickness.

This recipe would easily serve four with a nice salad and garlic bread to go with it.  And for dessert tonight, instead of cheesecake, was a Zantac because it was seriously spicy...for me.

Next time I make it, I might try and bread the chicken breast pieces and bake them and serve the pasta as a side.  While this recipe is good as it stands and I will make it again, one of the things I love about the Louisiana Chicken Pasta is the contrasting crunchiness of the breaded (and fried) chicken and the creamy pasta.