Cajun Chicken Pasta

Cajun seasoning is a simple spice blend that you can find easily in grocery stores. Though all cajun spice blends are unique, most include garlic, onion, oregano, salt, black pepper, mustard, and celery. For those of my readers who can't live without this spice blend, believe it or not, this recipe was actually my first time using it. And I have to say, I loved it. 
Coming from a Pakistani household, I'm used to extremely spicy and flavorful foods. Indian-Pakistani cuisine incorporates all sorts of herbs, peppers, and spices that create fireworks in your mouth- literally, I'm sometimes jumping for water after eating a particularly fiery mouthful. I know I speak for a lot of people from my ethnic background when I say that sometimes, food from other cuisines taste bland because of the lack of spices. 
This recipe, however, hit the spot. S and I both loved this dish, and I can't wait to test it out on my picky dad (he only likes Pakistani food). ;) 

Notes-

• Do use chicken thighs. They're just so much juicier and more flavorful.
• Use any pasta type you like (as always for any pasta recipe).
• Make sure to add salt to the chicken marinade if the seasoning is salt-free.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

(4-6 servings)

adapted from Laura Vitale

Ingredients:

1 lb of Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs, cut into bite size pieces
16 oz of Linguine or Pasta of your Choice
1 Orange Bell Pepper, cut into strips
1 Yellow Bell Pepper, cut into strips
1 Yellow Onion, cut into half moon slices
8 oz Mushrooms, sliced
4 Cloves of Garlic
2 Tbsp of Cajun Seasoning
1 cup of Chicken Stock
1/4 cup of Heavy Cream
2 Tbsp of Fresh Chopped Parsley
4 Tbsp of Butter
Salt and Pepper, to taste

First, marinate the chicken thighs with the cajun seasoning and set aside.

Then, bring a pot of water to boil and cook the pasta according to instructions.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a wide skillet.

Add the chicken and cook on medium heat for 5-6 minutes until they develop color and are fully cooked through. Take them out of the pan and set them aside.

Meanwhile, chop all of the veggies. 

Melt the other 2 tablespoons of butter in the same pan.

Add the veggies to the pan and cook till they start to get some color and are wilted, 5-6 minutes.

Add the chicken back into the pan, and put in the chicken stock.

Here I used a chicken stock cube with 1 cup of water. Turn the heat down to medium low and cook for 10 minutes until reduced by half.

Then, add the heavy cream and just heat through. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper.

Add the pasta and parsley. Toss together and cook for another minute. Serve and enjoy!