Description
This Buffalo Chicken Pasta recipe features tender Cajun-spiced chicken breast pieces cooked with colorful peppers, jalapenos, and spring onions in a creamy, tangy hot pepper sauce. Combined with perfectly cooked pasta and a touch of Parmesan, it’s a quick and flavorful 20-minute dinner that’s both spicy and comforting.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 300 g (10.5 oz) pasta shapes (such as penne)
Chicken and Seasoning
- 3 chicken breasts, chopped into bite-size pieces (about 525 g or 18.5 oz)
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 tbsp Cajun spice mix
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 chicken stock cube, crumbled
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 onion, peeled and sliced
- 1 red pepper, sliced
- 1 yellow pepper, sliced
- 2 jalapenos or medium heat green chillies, sliced
- small bunch spring onions, roughly chopped
Sauce
- 60 ml hot pepper sauce
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp cider vinegar
- 100 ml (1/3 cup + 1 tbsp) double (heavy) cream
- 50 g (1/2 cup) parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 jalapeno or medium heat green chilli, sliced (for garnish)
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the packet instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and set aside.
- Heat the Oil and Cook Chicken: While the pasta cooks, heat 1 tablespoon of sunflower oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped chicken breasts, then sprinkle over the Cajun spice mix and black pepper. Stir to coat the chicken evenly. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken pieces are sealed and nearly cooked through.
- Add Stock Cube and Vegetables: Crumble the chicken stock cube over the chicken and stir well to combine. Add the minced garlic, sliced onion, red pepper, yellow pepper, and sliced jalapenos to the pan. Stir everything together and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, until the onion softens slightly and the vegetables have begun to release their flavors.
- Incorporate Spring Onions and Sauce Ingredients: Add the roughly chopped spring onions, hot pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce, cider vinegar, double cream, and grated Parmesan cheese to the pan. Stir everything together and bring the mixture to a simmer. Let it simmer gently for 4 to 5 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken slightly and the chicken to finish cooking through.
- Combine Pasta with Sauce: Add the drained pasta to the pan with the chicken and sauce. Stir to combine and coat the pasta thoroughly. If the sauce seems too thick, gradually add splashes of the reserved pasta cooking water to loosen it to your preferred consistency.
- Serve: Divide the buffalo chicken pasta between serving bowls. Garnish each portion with additional sliced jalapeno for extra heat and a fresh appearance. Serve immediately while hot.
Notes
- Cajun spiced chicken with pasta and peppers in a tangy, creamy hot sauce makes for a quick yet flavorful meal.
- This dinner can be ready in just 20 minutes, perfect for busy weeknights.
- Adjust the amount of jalapeno according to your heat preference for a milder or spicier dish.
- Using reserved pasta water helps achieve a luxurious sauce texture and helps the sauce cling to the pasta.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 693 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 1085 mg
- Fat: 23 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 68 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 53 g
- Cholesterol: 154 mg
