Something Light

Light Cajun Chicken Pasta

Oh my God, let me just say that when I made this dish, I didn't expect it to be so good! And by good, I mean, freaking awesome.

(Courtesy of skinnytaste.com)

This recipe is to die for, and it will certainly be going on my menu from now on. My son even loved it, he hate three helpings!

Here is the recipe:

Cajun Chicken Pasta on the Lighter Side

Skinnytaste.com

Servings: 5 • Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups • Old Points: 6 pts • Points+: 8 pts

Calories: 323.8 • Fat: 6.2 g • Protein: 25.9 g • Carb: 44.1 g • Fiber: 6.3 g • Sugar:3.2 g

Sodium: 126.5 mg (without salt)  

Ingredients:

8 ounces uncooked linguine (I used Dreamfields)

• 1 pound chicken breast strips
• 1-2 tsp Cajun seasoning (or to taste)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 medium yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 red onion, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 medium tomatoes, diced
• 1 cup fat free low sodium chicken broth
• 1/3 cup skim milk
• 1 tbsp flour
• 3 tbsp light cream cheese
• fresh cracked pepper
• 2 scallions, chopped
• salt to taste
• Smart Balance cooking spray

Directions:

Prep all your vegetables. In a small blender make a slurry by combining milk, flour and cream cheese. Set aside. 

Season chicken generously with Cajun seasoning, garlic powder and salt.

Prepare pasta in salted water according to package directions.

Heat a large heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; spray with cooking spray and add half of the chicken. Sauté 5 to 6 minutes or until done, set aside on a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken. Set aside.

Add olive oil to the skillet and reduce to medium; add bell peppers, onions, and garlic to skillet, sauté 3-4 minutes. 

Add mushrooms and tomatoes and sauté 3-4 more minutes or until vegetables are tender. Season with 1/4 tsp salt, garlic powder and fresh cracked pepper to taste.

Reduce heat to medium-low; add chicken broth and pour in slurry stirring about 2 minutes.

Return chicken to skillet; adjust salt and Cajun seasoning to taste, cook another minute or two until hot, then addlinguine; toss well to coat. Top with chopped scallions and enjoy!

Makes 7 1/2 cups.

I made a couple small changes to the recipe, mainly to conserve time. I used Tyson, green bag frozen, already cooked chicken strips. I used garlic powder instead of the garlic cloves and I only sprinkled it across the pan, 3 cloves of garlic would have been too much (at least in my opinion and I love garlic). Also, I used a can of diced tomatoes, not petite diced mind you, I drained them and added them to the pan. I don't have patience for cutting up tomatoes, and I don't have any fancy equipment. 

This dish is a must try. It is so good, and I am not a huge lover of cajun seasoning. So that should tell you something.