Cajun Shrimp & Chicken Pasta

Ingredients

• 8 oz oz Penne or linguine
• 1 lb lb Boneless, skinless chicken breast, sliced
• 12 oz oz Large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 tsp tsp Cajun seasoning, divided, preferably lower-sodium
• 1/2 tsp tsp Kosher salt, divided
• 1 tbsp tbsp Olive oil
• 1 tbsp tbsp Unsalted butter
• 1 whole Red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 small whole Yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 3 clove Garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 cup cup Low-sodium chicken broth
• 3/4 cup cup Heavy cream
• 1/2 cup cup Parmesan, finely grated
• 1 tsp tsp Fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp tbsp Fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente. Reserve approximately 1 cup pasta water. Drain pasta.
2. Season chicken with approximately 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning. Season shrimp with approximately 1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning.
3. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken until browned and cooked to 165°F. Transfer to a plate.
4. Add shrimp. Cook approximately 1-2 minutes per side until just opaque. Transfer shrimp to the chicken plate.
5. Add butter to the skillet. Add bell pepper and onion. Cook approximately 4-5 minutes until softened but still slightly crisp.
6. Add garlic. Cook 30 seconds.
7. Add chicken broth. Scrape browned bits from the skillet. Add cream and remaining Cajun seasoning. Simmer gently approximately 3 minutes.
8. Reduce heat to low. Stir in Parmesan. Add pasta. Toss with enough reserved pasta water to create a glossy sauce.
9. Return chicken and shrimp. Toss briefly until warmed through. Stir in lemon juice.
10. Taste before adding additional salt because Cajun seasoning and Parmesan may already provide plenty. Finish with parsley.

Nutrition

Chef's Notes

Shrimp become rubbery quickly. Remove them from the skillet as soon as they are cooked and return them only at the end. Food safety: Cook chicken to 165°F and cook shrimp until just opaque.

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