Description
Creamy Parmesan Chicken Pasta brings Southern comfort to your dinner table with its rich, cheesy goodness. Hearty pasta and tender chicken merge in a luxurious sauce that promises pure satisfaction for hungry souls.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken:
- 1 lb (454 grams) chicken cutlets or tenders
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 ½ cups grated parmesan cheese, divided
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
Pasta and Vegetables:
- 1 lb (454 grams) short-cut pasta (penne, rigatoni, or fusilli)
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 2 bell peppers, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
Seasonings and Sauce:
- 3–4 teaspoons cajun seasoning
- Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
- 2 cups milk
- ½ cup heavy cream or canned coconut milk
- 2 ounces (57 grams) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Prepare a generously salted water bath in a large pot, allowing pasta to pirouette until perfectly tender. Strain and reserve the cooked noodles.
- Create a crispy coating by blending Panko breadcrumbs with Parmesan, thoroughly enveloping each chicken piece in the fragrant mixture, pressing firmly to ensure complete coverage.
- Ignite a skillet with olive oil, introducing diced onions to caramelize. Incorporate vibrant bell peppers and minced garlic, allowing vegetables to soften and release their aromatic essence. Sprinkle Cajun seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper, awakening the spices’ intense flavors.
- Stream milk and heavy cream into the vegetable medley, introducing cream cheese to transform the mixture into a luxuriously smooth sauce. Gently simmer, watching the liquid thicken and develop a velvety consistency.
- In a parallel skillet, sear chicken pieces until they develop a golden-brown exterior and reach complete doneness. Transfer to a cutting surface, season with a whisper of salt, then slice into elegant strips.
- Fold remaining Parmesan into the creamy sauce, reuniting it with the awaiting pasta. Allow a brief simmer to marry the flavors, then garnish with fresh parsley for a vibrant finish.
- Plate the pasta, crowning each serving with the crispy, sliced chicken, ready to delight discerning palates.
Notes
- Customize Spice Levels by adjusting Cajun seasoning and red pepper flakes to suit personal heat preferences.
- Gluten-Free Option can be achieved by using gluten-free pasta and replacing Panko breadcrumbs with almond flour or crushed gluten-free crackers.
- Prep Chicken Evenly by pounding chicken breasts to uniform thickness ensuring consistent cooking and crispy breading.
- Make-
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Southern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 720
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 680 mg
- Fat: 36 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 24 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 70 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 37 g
- Cholesterol: 130 mg