Cajun Honey Chicken & Cheesy Garlic Pasta
Looking for a hassle-free dinner that will wow your taste buds? Dive into this zesty Cajun Honey Chicken paired with creamy, cheesy garlic pasta that’s bursting with flavor! With just a handful of ingredients and no oven required, you’ll have a scrumptious meal on the table in no time!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(2)
- Garlic
- Fresh parsley (15 ml)
🥩Meat & Seafood(3)
- Bacon
- Chicken breast (454 g)
- Chicken broth (240 ml)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(7)
- American cheese (240 ml)
- Roasted garlic butter (56 g)
- Cheddar (240 ml)
- Evaporated milk (240 ml)
- Heavy cream (240 ml)
- Monterey Jack (240 ml)
- Parmesan (240 ml)
🫙Pantry Staples(3)
- Honey (30 ml)
- Olive oil (30 ml)
- Pasta shells (227 g)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- PoggioliEats Cajun seasoning
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
970
Protein
55g
Carbs
57g
Fat
58g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Toss the diced chicken with olive oil, Cajun seasoning and honey. Marinate for 30 minutes.
- 2
Heat olive oil in a large pan and cook the chicken until golden and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
- 3
Melt roasted garlic butter in the same pan and add plenty of garlic. Cook until fragrant, then add chicken broth and evaporated milk. Bring to a simmer.
- 4
Add the pasta shells and cook, stirring frequently, until tender.
- 5
Lower the heat and add heavy cream. Once slightly thickened, turn the heat to low and stir in cheddar, Monterey Jack, Parm, and American cheese until smooth and creamy.
- 6
Mix in some of the chicken, bacon and parsley. Plate and top with the remaining chicken, bacon and parsley.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Marinate chicken for exactly 30 minutes, not longer, because honey's fructose begins breaking down protein surface at 45+ minutes, causing mushy exterior texture when seared.timing30 minutes maximum
- ✓Pat chicken dry with paper towels before searing because residual marinade moisture prevents browning; aim for 3-4 minutes per side at 375°F until internal temp reaches 165°F for optimal Maillard reaction without overcooking.technique165°F internal temp, 3-4 minutes per side
- ✓Use evaporated milk at a 1:2 ratio with heavy cream (evaporated:heavy) because evaporated milk's 50% reduced water content provides richness without breaking when combined with acidic Cajun seasoning.ingredient1:2 ratio (evaporated:heavy)
- ✓Add pasta directly to simmering broth and cook until 2 minutes before al dente (typically 8-10 minutes for shells), then reduce heat to low before adding heavy cream, because residual starch from pasta thickens sauce naturally and prevents curdling from temperature shock.timing2 minutes under al dente, heat to low before cream
- ✓Add cheese at 165-170°F maximum (below typical simmer) and stir constantly for 60-90 seconds because casein proteins in cheese begin seizing and separating above 175°F, breaking emulsion and creating grainy texture.technique165-170°F, 60-90 seconds constant stirring
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Cajun Honey Chicken & Cheesy Garlic Pasta
Looking for a hassle-free dinner that will wow your taste buds? Dive into this zesty Cajun Honey Chicken paired with creamy, cheesy garlic pasta that’s bursting with flavor! With just a handful of ingredients and no oven required, you’ll have a scrumptious meal on the table in no time!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(2)
- Garlic
- Fresh parsley (15 ml)
🥩Meat & Seafood(3)
- Bacon
- Chicken breast (454 g)
- Chicken broth (240 ml)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(7)
- American cheese (240 ml)
- Roasted garlic butter (56 g)
- Cheddar (240 ml)
- Evaporated milk (240 ml)
- Heavy cream (240 ml)
- Monterey Jack (240 ml)
- Parmesan (240 ml)
🫙Pantry Staples(3)
- Honey (30 ml)
- Olive oil (30 ml)
- Pasta shells (227 g)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- PoggioliEats Cajun seasoning
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
970
Protein
55g
Carbs
57g
Fat
58g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Toss the diced chicken with olive oil, Cajun seasoning and honey. Marinate for 30 minutes.
- 2
Heat olive oil in a large pan and cook the chicken until golden and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
- 3
Melt roasted garlic butter in the same pan and add plenty of garlic. Cook until fragrant, then add chicken broth and evaporated milk. Bring to a simmer.
- 4
Add the pasta shells and cook, stirring frequently, until tender.
- 5
Lower the heat and add heavy cream. Once slightly thickened, turn the heat to low and stir in cheddar, Monterey Jack, Parm, and American cheese until smooth and creamy.
- 6
Mix in some of the chicken, bacon and parsley. Plate and top with the remaining chicken, bacon and parsley.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Marinate chicken for exactly 30 minutes, not longer, because honey's fructose begins breaking down protein surface at 45+ minutes, causing mushy exterior texture when seared.timing30 minutes maximum
- ✓Pat chicken dry with paper towels before searing because residual marinade moisture prevents browning; aim for 3-4 minutes per side at 375°F until internal temp reaches 165°F for optimal Maillard reaction without overcooking.technique165°F internal temp, 3-4 minutes per side
- ✓Use evaporated milk at a 1:2 ratio with heavy cream (evaporated:heavy) because evaporated milk's 50% reduced water content provides richness without breaking when combined with acidic Cajun seasoning.ingredient1:2 ratio (evaporated:heavy)
- ✓Add pasta directly to simmering broth and cook until 2 minutes before al dente (typically 8-10 minutes for shells), then reduce heat to low before adding heavy cream, because residual starch from pasta thickens sauce naturally and prevents curdling from temperature shock.timing2 minutes under al dente, heat to low before cream
- ✓Add cheese at 165-170°F maximum (below typical simmer) and stir constantly for 60-90 seconds because casein proteins in cheese begin seizing and separating above 175°F, breaking emulsion and creating grainy texture.technique165-170°F, 60-90 seconds constant stirring