Crispy Cajun Chicken Pasta (Print Format)
Juicy fried chicken with pasta and a spicy, creamy sauce packed with peppers and Parmesan.
# Ingredients:
→ Chicken
01 -
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
02 -
Louisiana spicy chicken fry batter mix
03 -
Vegetable oil, for frying
→ Vegetables
04 -
2 bell peppers, diced
05 -
½ yellow onion, diced
→ Sauce
06 -
2 cups heavy whipping cream
07 -
1 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
08 -
1 tablespoon tomato paste
09 -
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
10 -
1 teaspoon onion powder
11 -
1 teaspoon garlic powder
12 -
Salt and pepper, to taste
→ Pasta
13 -
5 cups rigatoni pasta, cooked and drained
# Steps:
01 -
Mix half of the chicken fry batter according to package instructions. Spread the remaining dry batter onto a plate.
02 -
Heat vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat, enough to reach halfway up the chicken cutlets. Dip each chicken breast into the wet batter, let excess drip off, then coat with dry batter. Pan-fry for 9–12 minutes, flipping once, until golden and cooked through (165°F internal temperature). Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
03 -
Remove all but 2–3 tablespoons of oil from the skillet. Sauté the diced bell peppers and onions for 4–5 minutes until softened. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
04 -
Add heavy cream to the skillet. Stir in Cajun seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Whisk until smooth. Heat until almost simmering, then add Parmesan cheese, stirring until melted and creamy.
05 -
Toss cooked rigatoni pasta in the sauce until evenly coated.
06 -
Place a crispy chicken cutlet on top of each serving of pasta. Serve immediately.
# Tips:
01 -
Slice chicken breasts into even, thin cutlets to cook evenly.
02 -
Allow excess wet batter to drip off before coating for maximum crispiness.
03 -
Reserve pasta water to thin sauce if it becomes too thick.
04 -
Taste the Cajun sauce before adding extra salt, as it may already be seasoned enough.
05 -
Serve fried chicken immediately to retain crispiness.