Thursday, September 7, 2017

Cajun Chicken Pasta


Not only does this move quickly by using another batch of the chicken and the cheese sauce that we made earlier, but it's another recipe that can be made ahead and frozen, ready to thaw, cook, and serve! 
  • 3 oz dried bow tie pasta
  • 1 portion Cheese Sauce
  • 1 portion Shredded Chicken Base
  • 1/2 C frozen sweet pepper and onion stir-fry vegetables
  • 1/4 C milk
  • 1/3 C chopped roma tomato (one small)
  • 3/4 tsp Cajun seasoning
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/4 tsp dried thyme, crushed
  • 1/3 C panko bread crumbs
  • 2 slices bacon, cooked, drained, and crumbled
  • 1 small clove garlic
  • 1/8 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 C shredded Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese
1.  Preheat oven to 350°F.  Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.  Rinse with cold water until cool; drain again.  In a large bowl combine cooked pasta, Cheese Sauce, Shredded Chicken Base, frozen stir-fry vegetables, milk, tomato, Cajun seasoning, 1 clove minced garlic, and thyme.  Transfer pasta mixture to a 1-quart rectangular baking dish.
2.  For crumb topping, in a food processor or blender combine panko, bacon, 1 clove garlic, and paprika.  Cover and process until fine crumbs form.  Sprinkle shredded cheese and crumb topping on casserole.
3.  Bake, covered, for 30-35 minutes.  Uncover and bake 5-10 minutes more, or until heated through and golden.  Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

To make dish ahead: Prepare through Step 1.  Cover dish with foil, place entire dish in resealable freezer bag.  Seal and freeze up to 2 months.  To serve, thaw in refrigerator overnight, Preheat oven, and follow steps 2 and 3.

Robyn's notes: I really quite enjoyed this, and would definitely have it again.  If desired, you can add hot sauce when combining the main ingredients, that would make it too much for my taste.  Watch me demonstrate this recipe on youtube!

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently