Description
Tender garlic-butter chicken bites tossed with creamy, spicy Cajun Alfredo and twisty rotini that grabs every drop of sauce. It’s weeknight-easy, restaurant-good, and endlessly customizable.
Ingredients
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
4 cloves garlic minced
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning divided
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
12 ounces rotini or fusilli pasta dry
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
1/2 cup reserved pasta water as needed
1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook rotini until al dente; reserve 1/2 cup pasta water and drain.
2. While water heats, pat chicken dry. Toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning, salt, and pepper.
3. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high. Sear chicken in a single layer until golden and cooked through, 5-6 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
4. Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter; when melted, stir in garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant.
5. Pour in heavy cream and remaining 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning; simmer gently 2-3 minutes, scraping browned bits.
6. Stir in Parmesan until smooth. If too thick, loosen with splashes of reserved pasta water.
7. Add drained pasta and chicken to the skillet; toss until glossy and coated.
8. Finish with parsley and, if you like heat, red pepper flakes. Serve hot.
Notes
Use freshly grated Parmesan—pre-shredded will not melt as smoothly.
Salt your pasta water well; it is your first layer of seasoning.
Sauce too thick after resting? Add 1-2 tablespoons warm milk or pasta water and toss over low heat.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate
- Calories: 720
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 980 mg
- Fat: 36 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 60 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 43 g
- Cholesterol: 155 mg
Keywords: garlic butter chicken bites, cajun alfredo, rotini pasta, weeknight dinner