Description
A quick weeknight Cajun-inspired pasta dish with tender chicken, smoky turkey sausage, earthy mushrooms, and al dente penne in a luscious parmesan-based cream sauce. Combines bold flavor and convenience for busy families.
Ingredients
Unsalted butter (divided)
Chicken breasts (1 lb./450g)
Smoked turkey sausage (no pork), sliced ¼ inch (6 oz./170g)
Baby Bella mushrooms, sliced (8 oz./225g)
Cajun seasoning (2 tsp + to taste)
Italian seasoning (to taste)
Salt and pepper (optional)
Garlic, minced (4 cloves)
Chickpea flour or all-purpose flour (2 tbsp, to dredge chicken)
Cooked penne pasta (12 oz./340g)
Sodium-free chicken broth (1 cup)
Non-alcoholic Worcestershire sauce (1 tbsp)
Sweet paprika (1 tsp)
Garlic powder (½ tsp)
Parmesan cheese (1 cup, freshly grated)
Instructions
Cook penne pasta al dente according to package instructions; drain and set aside.
Melt 2 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dredge chicken breasts in flour, then cook 4-5 minutes per side until golden. Remove and set aside.
In the same pan, add remaining 1 tbsp butter and cook sausage slices 3-4 minutes until browned.
Push meats to one side, add mushrooms and garlic to the skillet and sauté 5-7 minutes.
Deglaze the pan with chicken broth, scraping up browned bits. Stir in Cajun seasoning, paprika, and garlic powder. Simmer 3 minutes.
Return chicken and sausage to the pan with mushrooms. Stir in non-alcoholic Worcestershire sauce and heavy cream (or half-and-half). Cook 2-3 minutes until sauce thickens.
Toss cooked pasta into the pan and mix until evenly coated. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Serve immediately with additional parmesan and fresh parsley if desired.
Notes
Use salted butter but reduce added salt to ¼ tsp. Substitute chicken thighs for breasts and increase cooking time by 2-3 minutes. For a lighter sauce, use ½ cup heavy cream and ½ cup half-and-half. Leftovers store well in fridge for 3 days.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Cajun-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 750
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 42g
- Saturated Fat: 28g
- Carbohydrates: 65g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 38g
- Cholesterol: 190mg