Description
For my Master’s Degree, I studied at the University of Chicago on the south side of Chicago. My ex-husband, son, and I lived in Hyde Park and enjoyed exploring the culture the south side offered. The food was absolutely fantastic. Rich in Black culture, the food varied from some of the best BBQ I’ve had to chicken dinners to Cajun food.
There was one restaurant that we only ordered from occasionally because it was a bit expensive for my student lifestyle! I honestly don’t remember the name of the restaurant anymore, so I don’t even know if it still exists. But, they had a chicken fettuccini Alfredo on their menu that was amazing. They added Cajun seasonings to the Alfredo sauce that give it a little zing of heat. The chicken was just traditional chicken breast with no real seasoning, but it was still my favorite and the only thing I would order from them!
Deciding to make this at home was super simple. Fettuccini Alfredo is one of the easiest pasta dishes to make, but it’s fun to twist it up a bit and do something different! Italian-Cajun fusion! I decided to add blackened chicken to this dish to give it a bit more oomph of flavor!
I cook the chicken breast on a cast iron pan, five minutes per side. I then remove it from the pan, slice it (it’ll still be raw in the middle), and then return it to the pan to finish cooking. This keeps the meat super moist, and returning the slices to the pan to finish cooking allows all the sides of the chicken slices to get coated in seasoning!
My husband as a basic fettuccini Alfredo recipe that he uses when his kids come to visit. They love his fettuccini Alfredo with double dipped fried chicken breast! So, I took his recipe and tweaked it a bit. It calls for a ton of heavy cream, and it looks like a lot at first. But as the sauce cools, it thickens a lot more and becomes the perfect amount, giving you a little extra to spoon over the dishes. I also decided to not use just Parmesan. I did a cup of freshly grated Parmesan and a cup of freshly grated Asiago. It just gave a nicer, creamier taste to the sauce.
This dish isn’t super spicy; it has a very, very gentle heat. So, if you don’t like spice or you want to make dinner for kids, don’t hesitate! This dish is still perfect! The flavors give a nice, belly-warming spice that allows you to still taste and appreciate the Italian side of the dish!
For a Sunday dinner, this comes together fairly quickly, which does make this a good option for any day of the week!
Enjoy!
Ingredients
Fettuccini Alfredo
1 lb fettuccini
3 cups heavy cream
1 cup butter
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup freshly grated Asiago cheese
½ TB paprika
½ TB garlic powder
½ TB dried oregano
1 tsp salt
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp black pepper
¼ tsp cayenne
Blackened Chicken
2 TB paprika
1 TB onion powder
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
2 TBs olive oil
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp cayenne
Instructions
Cook the fettuccini according to the box. Drain and run cold water over it to stop the pasta from continuing to cook.
While the pasta cooks, make the blackened chicken. In a small bowl, mix together the blackened seasoning. Thoroughly coat the chicken breasts. Heat the olive oil in a cast iron pan or heavy bottomed pan over medium heat. When hot, add the chicken and cook five minutes per side. Remove from the pan and slice on a cutting board. Return to the pan and cook an additional minute per side to cook through. Remove from the pan and tent with foil to keep warm.
Meanwhile, make the sauce. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the heavy cream and bring to a light simmer. Add the Parmesan and Asiago cheeses. Stir until melted. Add the Cajun seasonings and taste, adding additional salt and pepper if desired. Cook about 5 minutes until the sauce has slightly thickened. Add the fettuccini to the pan and toss to thoroughly coat.
Plate the fettuccini Alfredo and top with the blackened chicken.
Dig in and enjoy!
Keywords: Fettuccini Alfredo, Cajun Fettuccini Alfredo, Blackened Chicken, Fettuccini Alfredo with Blackened Chicken, Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo