April 15, 2021
Protein-Packed Cajun Chicken Pasta
time to spice things up
Comfort food with a healthy flair. My Protein Packed Cajun Chicken Pasta is a crowd-pleaser! Think mac 'n cheese meets Cheesecake Factory's Cajun Jambalaya Pasta, but good for you! High in protein, it's a sure-fire way to fuel your muscles. This whole batch serves 4 is 298 gm of protein! That's 74.5 gm protein per serving! I prepped the meats on my Traeger grill, but feel free to saute or bake the meat. If the beef on the grill looks familiar to you, it's from last week's recipe found here.
I love subbing regular pasta with Banza. Banza pasta can be found at your local grocery store (I found that Target carries the most variety of their line). It has a nuttier flavor than regular pasta, but nutrient-rich. I actually prefer the taste!
What you'll need:
- Traeger Signature Blend Hardwood Pellets
- one 8 oz box of Banza shells
- 7 oz (1/2 of a standard pack) of andouille sausage
- 1-1/2 lb chicken breast
- salt & pepper
- 3 tbsp Kerrygold unsalted butter
- 1 large sweet onion, diced
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup frozen corn
- one 10 oz can of Rotel Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies
- 3/4 cup almond milk
- 2 tbsp almond milk + 1 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp arrowroot powder
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp salt
- A few twists of cracked pepper
- Grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish
Smoke the meat
- Load the hopper of the Traeger with your favorite wood pellets.
- Preheat your Traeger by turning the dial to the "smoke" position.
- Season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt & pepper, add the chicken and sausage to the grill, then smoke it for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes have passed, insert the temperature probe into the thickest part of the breast, turn the heat up to 250, & cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165, about 1 hour & 15 minutes (the sausage continues cooking at this point too).
- if you're baking you chicken & sausage, you'll want to place it in an oven preheated to 350, & cook for 30 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165.
- Once cooked, cycle your Traeger off according to the manufacturer's instructions & place the meat on a cutting board.
- Dice the chicken into large bite-sized chunks & slice the andouille sausage into 1/4-1/2 inch rounds.
Get saucy
- Place a large saucepan on medium-high heat & melt the butter.
- Add the onions & peppers, then cook until the onions are translucent (about 2-3 minutes).
- Add the garlic, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, cayenne, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, salt & pepper & cook for 2 minutes.
- Pour in the can of Rotel & almond milk. Bring to a simmer.
- In a small bowl, whisk the arrowroot powder, water, and 2 tbsp almond milk. Don't let it settle, mixed arrowroot powder tends to gel if not it's not used right away.
- Turn the heat to medium-low & add the arrow root mixture to the sauce while stirring the pot until it is well-incorporated.
- Let the sauce cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the sliced chicken & sausage. Add the frozen corn & let it simmer in the pot for about 15 minutes.
- While that's cooking, place another saucepan on medium-high heat, bring 8 cups of water to a rolling boil, add the Banza pasta, & cook for 8-10 minutes.
- Drain the pasta & add it to the sauce.
- Mix the shells are evenly incorporated, top with grated Parmesan, & serve it up!
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Filipino Comfort Food: Part 1
