Ingredients
Method
- Season chicken breasts with Cajun seasoning, rubbing the seasoning on both sides.
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and add extra virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet.
- Cook chicken (in batches if needed), about 3 to 5 minutes per side until cooked through (until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F). Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
- Bring a large, generously salted, pot of water to a boil. Cook according to package directions to al dente while preparing the sauce.
- Reduce the heat under the skillet to medium and add the remaining tablespoon of butter, onions and bell pepper. Cook until the onions have softened, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in tomato paste until incorporated, cook until fragrant and paste becomes a deep, rusty red color, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Stir in minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add chicken broth, stirring until fully incorporated, and scraping any bits from the skillet. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes to reduce slightly.
- Stir in the heavy cream and Parmesan cheese and continue stirring until the cheese has completely melted and sauce begins to thicken, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Toss cooked pasta with sauce, adding pasta water as needed for a creamy consistency, ¼ to ½ cup. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Slice cooked chicken and serve with pasta or stir into pasta if desired.
- Garnish with diced tomato, green onion and additional Parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
Always grate your Parmesan cheese directly from a fresh block rather than buying pre-packaged shredded versions to prevent a grainy sauce.
Reserve at least half a cup of starchy pasta water to perfectly bind the rich cream sauce to the linguini noodles.
Reserve at least half a cup of starchy pasta water to perfectly bind the rich cream sauce to the linguini noodles.
