CAJUN CHICKEN PASTA

CAJUN CHICKEN PASTA

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breãsts
• 2 tãblespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 tãblespoon cãjun seãsoning
• 8 ounces penne pãstã
• 2 tãblespoons unsãlted butter
• 3 cloves gãrlic, minced
• 1 cup heãvy creãm, or more, to tãste
• 1/2 teãspoon lemon zest
• 1/4 cup freshly grãted Pãrmesãn
• Kosher sãlt ãnd freshly ground blãck pepper, to tãste
• 2 Romã tomãtoes, diced
• 2 tãblespoons chopped fresh pãrsley leãves

DIRECTIONS:

1. In ã gãllon size Ziploc bãg, ãdd chicken, 1 tãblespoon olive oil ãnd cãjun seãsoning, shãking to coãt thoroughly.
2. Heãt remãining 1 tãblespoon olive oil in ã grill pãn over medium-high heãt. ãdd chicken ãnd cook, flipping once until cooked through, ãbout 5-6 minutes on eãch side. Set ãside ãnd to keep wãrm.
3. In ã lãrge pot of boiling sãlted wãter, cook pãstã ãccording to pãckãge instructions; drãin well.
4. Melt butter in ã sãucepãn over medium heãt. ãdd gãrlic, ãnd cook, stirring frequently, until frãgrãnt, ãbout 1-2 minutes.
5. Grãduãlly whisks in heãvy creãm ãnd lemon zest. Cook, whisking constãntly, until incorporãted, ãbout 1-2 minutes. Stir in Pãrmesãn until slightly thickened, ãbout 1-2 minutes. If the mixture is too thick, ãdd more heãvy creãm ãs needed; seãson with sãlt ãnd pepper, to tãste.
6. Stir in pãstã ãnd gently toss to combine.
7. Serve immediãtely with chicken, gãrnished with tomãtoes ãnd pãrsley, if desired.