Louisiana Chicken Pasta

I've never said this before.  I recreated a dish from a restaurant and it tasted EXACTLY the same.  This is the dish I order every time I go to The Cheesecake Factory.  It's creamy, spicy and totally worth all the fat and calories.

This is the reason I only go there maybe once a year.

I'm not kidding when I say this, but you NEED to make this dish.  Tonight.  And then eat the leftovers for lunch the next day.

Louisiana Chicken Pasta

Cajun Sauce:

1 small red bell pepper, sliced

1 small green bell pepper, sliced

1/4 small onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 t. red pepper flakes

1 T. butter

2 c. heavy cream

1 c. low sodium chicken broth

1 t. dried basil or 1/4 c. fresh

1 c. grated Parmesan cheese

1 c. sliced mushrooms

salt

pepper

Chicken:

1/2 c. Bisquick or panko breadcrumbs

1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

1 t. garlic salt

1 egg

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Pasta:

1 lb. penne or bow ties

Hint: You can make the Cajun sauce up to a day ahead.  Saute peppers, onion, garlic and red pepper flakes in butter.  Add in cream and chicken broth.  Bring to a quick boil, then lower the heat and simmer until reduced by one quarter.  Add in the basil, cheese, mushrooms, salt and pepper.  Simmer for another 5 minutes.  Let cool, set aside or refrigerate in a covered container, reheat sauce when ready to use.

To prepare the chicken combine breadcrumbs, cheese, and flour in a bowl.  Mix the egg in a separate bowl.  Cut chicken into strips.  Dip chicken in the egg, then the flour mixture, then repeat again, coating the chicken twice.  Spray a baking sheet, bake chicken for 35 minutes at 375 degrees flipping halfway through.

Cook pasta till al dente.  To serve, toss sauce with pasta and top with cooked chicken.

Divine, that is all I half to say.

                                         

Moving on.

Check out my Facebook page.  I'm giving away a few items in the next couple of days.  It is nearing the end of summer (well, at least August), so I felt it would be fitting for a little something.

Nothing huge, but some frivolous and fun.  Here's today's feature: a darling cupcake notebook and a package of reuseable drinking straws.  Yeah, I'm not in fourth grade, but I still think they are cute.