Cooked this for a group of friends and it was a raving success. The second servings I saw on some plates were as big as the first! Pretty sure this one is going into the regular rotation for dinner.

For the sauce, I used an alfredo base which I adapted slightly from Lauren at Nosh ‘N Nutrition. A little extra seasoning and some sun-dried tomatoes and you’ve got Cajun Alfredo! Super creamy with a kick = fantastic!

Serve it up with a homemade Olive Garden salad, and garlic rolls.

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 Tbsp + 1 tsp Cajun seasoning, divided

1-13.25 oz box of  your favorite pasta (whole wheat penne for me)

2 cups 2% milk

3 oz Neufchatel cheese

2 Tbsp flour

1 tsp salt

1 Tbsp light butter

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup shredded Parmesan, plus more for garnish

1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, sliced

1/2 tsp basil

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large skillet. Season both sides of the chicken breasts with 2 Tbsp Cajun seasoning. Brown for 5 minutes on one side, flip, and cover the skillet. Continue cooking until the chicken is done. Remove the chicken and allow to cool slightly before cutting into strips, or bite-sized pieces.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions; strain and set aside.
3. In a food processor or blender, combine milk, cream cheese, flour, and salt. Process until smooth and set aside.
4. In a medium-large sauce pan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add garlic and saute for about 30 seconds.
5. Add the milk mixture to the pan. Stir constantly for about 3-4 minutes until the sauce begins to simmer. Keep stirring and let it cook for a few minutes more. It should become thicker.
6. Remove from heat. Stir in Parmesan until melted, then add the sun-dried tomatoes, 1 tsp Cajun seasoning, basil, and cayenne and cover the pan immediately.
7. Let stand for at least 10 minutes prior to using. It will continue to thicken to desired consistency.
8. Mix the cut-up chicken and pasta into the sauce. Serve with extra Parmesan sprinkled on top.

Source: Chicken from Stolen Moments Cooking. Sauce adapted from Nosh ‘N Nutrition.