One-pot Brown Butter Cajun Chicken Alfredo

• total time: 18 minutes

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts

Chicken seasonings: 4 tsp cajun, 2 tsp paprika, 2 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp Italian seasoning

1 tbsp olive oil

5 tbsp butter

250 g / 9 oz fettuccine

2 cups milk (I used 2%)

1 1/2 cups chicken stock / broth

6 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 cup parmesan, freshly grated

2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

Lemon for garnish (optional)

Directions

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season the chicken breasts with the seasonings listed above.

Heat a deep skillet over medium-high heat, then add a tablespoon each of olive oil and butter. Once the oil is hot, sear the chicken for about 4-5 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through (165°F /74°C internal temperature). Remove the chicken from the pan and let it rest.

In the same pan, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat.  Stir often until it turns a lovely golden brown and smells nutty. This should take 2-3 minutes. Don’t walk away—it’s butter, not Netflix.

Toss in your thinly sliced garlic and sauté for about 1-2 minutes, just until fragrant. Do not burn the butter.

In the same pan, pour in the milk and chicken broth, stirring to combine, then bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Add the pasta and let it cook for 9-11 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking together. If the liquid reduces too quickly, add a little more broth or milk as needed. Do not drain anything.

Once the pasta is perfectly al dente, reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the heavy cream and freshly grated parmesan. Keep stirring until everything melts into a rich, velvety sauce.

Now, slice the chicken and return it to the pan, letting it soak up all the creamy Cajun goodness.

To serve, top with freshly chopped parsley, extra Parmesan, and a squeeze of lemon juice.