Cajun Chicken Pasta - A Fab Family Dinner! | Greedy Gourmet

Q: How do you reheat Cajun chicken pasta?

I recommended using a double boiler . It’s the best way to gently reheat leftovers without affecting the taste and texture too much. You could also reheat your Cajun chicken pasta leftovers in a large saucepan or frying pan. You might find that the sauce becomes too thick, leading to a dry dish. If this happens, try adding a splash of milk or cream, or a little bit of stock.

Question 1

What is Cajun seasoning made of?

Accepted Answer

It’s made up of smoked paprika, cayenne, oregano, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.

Question 2

Is this dish spicy?

Accepted Answer

Not particularly. There’s none of that chili heat that can put many people off. Instead, you get a nice, warm smokiness.

Also, this is creamy Cajun chicken we’re talking about – the creaminess of the dish balances with the smoky seasoning to reduce the heat.

Question 3

What kind of seasoning can I use instead of Cajun seasoning?

Accepted Answer

For me, the homemade Cajun seasoning is key. It’s got a very specific balance of flavors that works so well with the chicken and the creamy sauce.

Still, if you do want to try something different, you can always opt for creole seasoning. It contains chili powder, so it will bring a little more heat.

If you want a milder flavor, go for ranch seasoning in place of Cajun, or leave out the paprika and cayenne pepper altogether.

Question 4

Can this recipe be made in advance?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Like a lot of saucy, spicy dishes, this recipe just gets better when you let the flavors get to know each other.

So, by all means make Cajun chicken pasta a day before, two days at a push. Just make sure you store it properly.

Keep in mind that the pasta will soak up a lot of the sauce. This means a less creamy sauce if you make it in advance and serve it later.

One way around this is to cook everything except the pasta. Then, when you want to serve the dish, add the pasta and the rest of the ingredients to the pan and cook until the pasta is ready.

Question 5

How do you store leftover Cajun chicken pasta?

Accepted Answer

You’ll need to store your leftovers in an airtight container and keep them in the fridge. They’ll stay fresh for 2–3 days, although I’d challenge you not to devour them before then!

Question 6

Can you freeze it?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can. Cajun chicken pasta will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 6 months, although around the 3-month mark the flavor and texture will start to suffer.

Also, creamy cajun chicken doesn’t freeze that great. The less creamy it is, the better it will freeze.

Make sure it has fully cooled before freezing. Place the contents in an airtight freezer-safe container and freeze straight away. You can also freeze it in individual portions if you’ve made a large batch and only want to defrost a certain amount at a time.

When defrosting, defrost it in the fridge, preferably overnight. If you don’t have time, you can defrost it in a bowl of cool water, changing the water every 30–45 minutes until fully defrosted.

Question 7

How do you reheat Cajun chicken pasta?

Accepted Answer

I recommended using a double boiler. It’s the best way to gently reheat leftovers without affecting the taste and texture too much.

You could also reheat your Cajun chicken pasta leftovers in a large saucepan or frying pan. You might find that the sauce becomes too thick, leading to a dry dish. If this happens, try adding a splash of milk or cream, or a little bit of stock.

Question 8

What pasta should I use?

Accepted Answer

When it comes to which pasta to use with this dish, there are lots of different options:

Penne

The classic pasta to pair with chicken, penne pasta comes in the shape of small tubes and is terrifically versatile. Perfect for rich, creamy or tomato-based dishes and excellent for absorbing sauce.

Farfalle

These little bow-ties are great with Cajun chicken and are widely available. As they look like little butterflies, kids love them too!

Spaghetti

You associate this type of pasta more with a carbonara or a bolognese. Still, if you’re a sucker for spaghetti, you’re going to love it in this creamy Cajun chicken dish.

Linguine

Like a flatter, fatter spaghetti, linguine is a great option if you fancy getting your fork twirling skills on the go. Excellent with creamy dishes, although it’s not the most common type of pasta to serve with Cajun chicken.

Pappardelle

A large, very flat ribbon type pasta, pappardelle isn't as widely known or available as the above, but it tastes fantastic. The wide surface area makes them perfect when paired with rich sauces, usually a ragu, but they’d go great with creamy Cajun chicken too.

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