As much as I love spending time in the kitchen, I enjoy an occasional break from cooking and cleaning. No surprise, that’s exactly what I did over the long Fourth of July weekend.
With the exception of making Sarah Kieffer’s pan-banging chocolate chip cookies and this one-pot creamy Cajun chicken pasta, I didn’t lift a finger. Both recipes are easy peasy and come together quite quickly. But more important, they are winners.
The pan-banging chocolate chip cookies are super satisfying and a sight to behold. And the one-pot creamy Cajun chicken pasta packs a flavor punch, thanks to the addition of bacon and plenty of spices and dried herbs. If you have an hour and an appetite, try your hand at either (or both) of these creations!
Recipe adapted from Budget Bytes.
- 2 strips thick-cut bacon, cut into lardons
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast half, cut into ½" pieces
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 14.5 oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes with green chiles
- 8 ounces fusilli
- 2 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- In a large pot, cook bacon on medium heat until fat renders and bacon crisps, about 6 minutes. Remove bacon from pot and set aside on paper towels to drain.
- In a small bowl, combine the next eight ingredients (smoked paprika through salt). Season chicken with spice mixture and transfer to the same pot used to cook the bacon. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
- Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3 minutes.
- Add chicken broth and tomatoes with juice. Stir and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to medium-low. Add pasta and simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid reduces, 7-8 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in cream cheese. Top with cooked bacon and green onions and serve immediately.
