Description
This Baked Boursin Cajun Chicken Pasta is a creamy, spicy, and flavorful one-dish meal featuring tender Cajun-seasoned chicken breasts baked alongside garlic herb Boursin cheese and roasted cherry tomatoes, tossed together with perfectly cooked penne pasta and a hint of hot sauce for an irresistible dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 3 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
- 4 tablespoons Cajun seasoning (divided)
Cheese and Vegetables
- 10.4 ounces Garlic Herb Boursin Cheese (two 5.2 ounce packages)
- 2 pints cherry tomatoes (20-24 ounces or about 4 cups)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Pasta and Seasoning
- 1 pound penne pasta (or medium pasta shells)
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce (adjust to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) to prepare for roasting the chicken and vegetables.
- Prepare chicken: Slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise to create 4 even pieces. Coat them with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then evenly sprinkle 3 tablespoons of Cajun seasoning over the chicken. Place the seasoned chicken breasts onto a baking sheet.
- Prepare cheese and tomatoes: In a 9×13 inch oven-safe casserole dish, add the Boursin cheese and cherry tomatoes. Drizzle the tomatoes with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Roast chicken and vegetables: Place both the baking sheet with chicken and the casserole dish with cheese and tomatoes into the preheated oven. Roast for 20-25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the tomatoes are tender.
- Cook pasta: While the chicken and vegetables roast, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil on the stovetop. Add the penne pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water and then drain the pasta.
- Remove and rest chicken: When cooking is complete, carefully remove the casserole dish and baking sheet from the oven. Transfer the chicken from the baking sheet to a cutting board and let it rest briefly before dicing.
- Combine pasta with sauce: To the casserole dish containing the melted Boursin cheese and roasted tomatoes, add the cooked pasta, reserved pasta water, hot sauce, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning. Stir well to create a creamy sauce.
- Add chicken and serve: Dice the rested chicken into bite-sized pieces and stir it into the pasta mixture. Serve immediately while hot for a delicious, comforting meal.
Notes
- You can adjust the amount of hot sauce to vary the spice level to your preference.
- Using fresh cherry tomatoes contributes both flavor and moisture for the creamy sauce.
- If you don’t have Cajun seasoning, you can make a blend of paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Saving some pasta water is essential to help create a smooth, cohesive sauce.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated gently.
