Cajun Chicken Penne

I made this one night and had some leftover, so I called my mom and told her to stop by and grab dinner after work.  When she got to our house, she admitted that she hadn't eaten all day.  After inhaling a few bites, she said (without thinking), "Either I'm starving or this is really good!"  There was that awkward moment of silence and then I asked, "So which is it?"  Now, whenever she eats something I've made, she'll smile and say, "I must be starving!"      

RECIPE

1 large boneless skinless chicken breast

2 1/2 C. (dry) Penne pasta

1 TBL butter

1/2 C. chopped green onion
1/4-1/2 tsp Crushed Red Pepper (depends on how hot you want it)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1-2 tsp Cajun seasoning

1 pint heavy whipping cream

1/2 C shredded Parmesan cheese

1 C. Mozzarella cheese

* Start boiling water for the noodles, and cook according to package directions.  Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the green onions and red pepper and saute 1-2 minutes.  Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds more, then add heavy cream and Cajun seasoning.  Bring the cream to a very low simmer, stirring frequently (I let it simmer until the chicken and pasta are both done-just don't forget to check on it often).  Rub the chicken with oil and sprinkle with Cajun seasoning.  Grill for 7 minutes on each side, or until juices run clear.  When the chicken is finished, let it sit for 3-5 minutes, then cut into bite sized pieces.  When the noodles are done, drain and set aside.  Turn up the heat to medium high on the skillet and add the cheeses, stirring constantly until all the cheese is melted.  Add pasta and chicken and toss until everything is coated with sauce.  Garnish with fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese.

Tips:

• I used the tri-color penne for looks, but I've made this using the small bowties, fettuccine, and angel hair.  Penne pasta is our favorite, but any of those are good options.
• Always add some salt to the water when cooking noodles.  It really does make a difference.  
• It will seem like there's too much sauce when you're mixing everything together, but remember that the noodles will soak it up after a few minutes.  Add more noodles if you think it's still too saucy.
• Start with 1 tsp Cajun seasoning and slowly add more until it's hot enough for your taste buds.  If you have little ones eating, make your own Cajun mix omitting the cayenne and red pepper.  All the sites will have the same recipe when you Google Cajun seasoning recipe.  Without the heat, the pasta had a strong thyme flavor-so I would only put in half what the recipe calls for it you make it yourself.
  
  
   

• When I grill chicken, I cut the breasts in half so they're 1/2 inch thick.  If I don't, they always burn before the center is cooked.  Hopefully you can see the difference in the picture.  The chicken in back is a full piece- way too thick to grill. 
  
  
    
• If the weather permits (even in the winter), I always prefer grilled chicken.  If you can't grill, cut the chicken into bite sized pieces and saute it with the green onion until browned.  Let it simmer in the cream until it's cooked all the way thru, transfer to a plate and cover until the noodles are done.  Melt the cheese, then toss the noodles and chicken together with the sauce.   
• Sadly, white sauces always separate with time.  You don't want leftovers- if you don't have teenagers, invite someone over or half the recipe.