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Blackened Chicken with Cajun Alfredo Sauce

March 29, 2009 By Kate 15 Comments

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Spicy food and Cajun flavors are always a hit in our house. This dish was definitely a winner! The flavors mingled perfectly to create a final product that was just delicious.

I started making this meal with just the knowledge that I wanted blackened chicken with some kind of sauce I could put over pasta. Once I had the chicken done, I just started adding different stuff together until it tasted the way I wanted it too. I’m always glad when the rest of the family agrees with my tastes.

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Blackened Chicken with Cajun Alfredo Sauce

  • 2 T. Olive oil
  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 T. blackening/Cajun seasoning
  • 3 T. butter or margarine
  • 1 T. flour
  • 1 1/3 c. Parmesan cheese, shredded
  • 1 c. milk or cream, plus more if needed
  • 2 t. salt
  • 2 t. blackening/Cajun seasoning
  • 1 lb. pasta, cooked and drained

1. Heat oil in a large skillet. Season both sides of the chicken breasts with 2 T. Cajun seasoning. Brown for 5 minutes on one side, flip, and cover the skillet. Continue cooking until the chicken is done. Remove the chicken.p3244322

2. Add the butter or margarine to the skillet. Stir in flour and cook for 2 minutes. Add Parmesan cheese, milk or cream and seasonings. Cook until cheese is melted and sauce is thickened. If the sauce is too thick, add a bit more milk until desired consistency.

3. Cube the chicken, add to the sauce, and pour over cooked pasta.

If you want to do this meal in stolen moments style, it will work just fine. Toss the pasta with the sauce and refrigerate. Warm in the oven or microwave before eating.

Stop by $5 Dinners for the $5 Dinner Challenge.

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Oven-Roasted Chickpeas

March 27, 2009 By Kate 12 Comments

It is hard to describe just how good these are. They’re salty, a little crunchy, a little spicy…basically all things delicious. The chickpeas work great as a snack, an appetizer in place of nuts, or on top of a salad.
Oven-Roasted Chickpeas

  • 2 c. fully cooked and cooled chickpeas, or 2 cans chickpeas
  • 3 T. olive oil
  • 3 t. salt
  • 2 t. cumin
  • 1 t. black pepper
  • 1/4 t. cayenne pepper

1. Preheat oven and cookie sheet to 325 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and toss until chickpeas are well coated.
3. Pour chickpeas onto hot cookie sheet and bake for 50-60 minutes, until crispy but not burnt, stirring every 15 minutes.

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Chicken with Brown Butter & Caper Sauce

March 26, 2009 By Kate 12 Comments

I had some capers leftover from the Chicken Puttanesca Pasta that I made earlier this month, so I thought I’d use them to make one of my favorite dishes. As I mentioned in that post, when I buy a “gourmet” ingredient, I like to make sure I use it all up during the month so that I don’t forget about it before it goes bad.

And trust me, this recipe is worth buying capers once in a while! I am definitely hooked on capers!p3224290

Chicken with Brown Butter & Caper Sauce

  • 2 T. olive oil
  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied and pounded paper-thin
  • Salt & pepper
  • 1 1/2 c. flour
  • 4 T. butter
  • 2-3 T. capers
  • Juice of half a lemon, or 2 T. lemon juice
  • 1/4 c. white wine, optional

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Cover both sides with flour.

2. Add chicken to hot skillet and cook until browned on both sides and fully cooked, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove from pan and keep warm.

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3. Add butter to the skillet. Melt and stir frequently, making sure to scrape up any bits left on the skillet from the chicken. Cook over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, until the butter starts browning.

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4. Add the capers, lemon juice, and wine if desired. Cook for another 3-5 minutes. Watch it closely so that the butter does not burn.

5. Spoon the butter and capers over the chicken and serve.

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This is another dish that really should not be made ahead of time. In fact, I usually reserve this for Sunday nights. However, you can get a head start by prepping and flouring the chicken earlier in the day. Just be sure to let it come to room temperature before cooking.

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