One-Pot Louisiana Chicken Pasta
One-Pot Louisiana Chicken Pasta is my take on the Cheesecake Factory favorite. So rich and decadent that you'll never believe it's lightened up!
Servings: 6
Calories: 452kcal
Ingredients
FOR THE CHICKEN
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken cutlets (or cut full chicken breasts in half lengthwise)
- 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 large egg, beaten with 1 tbsp water
- 3 tbsp panko breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
- 3 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp Cajun seasoning*
- salt to taste (optional)
- 2 tsp olive oil
FOR THE PASTA
- 8 ounces bow tie or other short shape pasta
- 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
- 1 small yellow bell pepper, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 1 small red pepper, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 1 small red onion, diced (about 1 cup)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups fat free chicken broth
- 1 cup unsweetened, original almond milk
- 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning*
- 1/3 cup half and half (full fat)
- 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- black pepper to taste
- cayenne or red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
FOR THE CHICKEN
- On a cutting board, pat chicken very dry with paper towels. Sprinkle cornstarch evenly over chicken and massage in. The cornstarch should completely absorb into the chicken, making it very dry.
- In a shallow bowl, whisk egg with 1 tbsp water. In another shallow dish, mix together breadcrumbs, panko, parmesan cheese, and Cajun seasoning. Add salt only if your Cajun seasoning isn't salt-heavy.
- Dip chicken in egg, let egg drip off, then coat chicken in breadcrumb mixture. Press the breadcrumbs into the chicken, then lightly shake off any excess. Place on lined baking sheet.
- Preheat a very large skillet (that also has a tight-fitting lid) to medium heat. Spray with cooking oil, then add in 1 tsp olive oil. Swirl pan to coat with oil.
- Place 1/2 of the breaded chicken in skillet and cook for about 3-4 minutes, until golden brown. Flip the chicken and continue to cook until done (when a meat thermometer reaches 165F). Set chicken aside on a cooling rack, then repeat oil and chicken-cooking process with the last 1/2 of the chicken.
FOR THE PASTA
- Raise heat to medium-high and spray with cooking oil again. Add in mushrooms and saute until slightly brown and soft, about 4 minutes. Move mushrooms to the sides of the pan, then add in onion, peppers, and garlic. Add a pinch of salt to the veggies and cook until slightly softened, about 5-7 minutes.
- When veggies are slightly soft, add pasta, chicken broth, almond milk, and Cajun seasoning. Bring to a boil, cover with lid, and reduce to a simmer. Cook for about 12 minutes, or until pasta is slightly soft.
- Remove lid. Raise heat to medium-high. Stir in half and half, parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until sauce has thickened to your liking, about 4-6 minutes.
- Taste for seasoning. Add salt and pepper to taste. If you like extra heat, add in some dashes of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes.
- Taste the pasta and adjust salt and pepper to your liking. Slice the chicken and serve it over the pasta.
Notes
*Cajun seasoning can be very different, depending on the brand. Some are hotter than others; some have more salt than others (or no salt at all). Check the ingredients in your blend to see if you should add heat or salt. If you're worried about the heat level, start with less seasoning than I indicated in the recipe and increase as you go. Same with the salt. Taste as you go and adjust as needed.
Click here to determine your WW PersonalPoints for this recipe (if you are logged in to your WW app, it should calculate for you automatically).
WW Green SmartPoints: 10 for 4 ounces of chicken and 1 cup pasta
WW Blue SmartPoints: 8 for 4 ounces of chicken and 1 cup pasta
WW Plurple SmartPoints: 4 for 4 ounces of chicken and 1 cup pasta if you use whole wheat pasta; otherwise, SP are the same as Blue.
Nutrition
Calories: 452kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g