Cajun Chicken & Bacon Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce

• 4chicken thighs (cut into ~1-inch pieces)
• Bacon (I used beef bacon, cooked and chopped)
• Penne pasta (12–16 oz)
• ½ onion (diced)
• ½ bell pepper (diced)
• 1-2 tablespoongarlic paste (or minced garlic)
• 2 cupsheavy cream
• Parmesan (finely grated (1–1½ cups, add to taste))
• 2 tablespoontomato paste
• ½ jarsun-dried tomatoes (chopped (If oil-packed, drain and optionally use 1 tablespoon of the oil for extra flavor))
• 2 tablespoonbutter
• Cajun seasoning (1 tablespoon for chicken, 2-3 teaspoon for cream sauce)
• All-purpose seasoning (to taste)
• Black pepper
• ½–1 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
• ¼–½ teaspoon cayenne (optional for extra heat)

1. 1Season the chicken - Cut chicken into ~1-inch pieces. Season with: 1 tbsp + 1 tsp Cajun seasoning, All-purpose seasoning (to taste), Black pepper, Garlic powder (optional).
2. 2Cook the bacon - In a large skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp. Remove and chop. Leave 1–2 tbsp drippings in the pan (discard extra if needed).
3. 3Boil the pasta - Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it lightly (optional if your Cajun mix is salty). Cook penne until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain.
4. 4Sauté onion & pepper In the same skillet, sauté onion and bell pepper until softened (3–5 minutes). Remove and set aside.
5. 5Cook the chicken - Add chicken to the skillet (add a small drizzle of oil if needed). Cook until browned and cooked through (165°F internal), about 6–10 minutes. Remove and set aside.
6. 6Start the sauce In a saucepan or the same skillet over medium-low heat, melt 2 tbsp butter. Add garlic paste, sun-dried tomatoes, and tomato paste. Cook 2–3 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant and the tomato paste deepens slightly.
7. 7Add cream + Cajun seasoning - Reduce heat to low. Stir in heavy cream. Add: 2 tsp Cajun seasoning, All-purpose seasoning (to taste), smoked paprika and/or cayenne). Bring to a gentle simmer (don’t boil).
8. 8Melt in parmesan - Add parmesan ½ cup at a time, stirring until smooth before adding more. Keep heat low to avoid clumping. Taste the sauce—if you want it more Cajun-forward, add 1 more tsp Cajun seasoning (bringing sauce Cajun to 3 tsp).
9. 9Combine everything - Add pasta to the sauce. Add chicken, sautéed onion/bell pepper, and bacon. Toss well. Add reserved pasta water ¼ cup at a time until the sauce is silky and coats the pasta perfectly.
10. 10Final taste + serve Taste and adjust Cajun seasoning (if needed) and black pepper. Salt only if needed (often you won’t need any). Top with extra parmesan and cracked pepper.

Notes

1. 1* If sauce is too thick: loosen with pasta water or a splash of cream.
2. 2* If reheating: reheat gently and add a splash of cream/water to bring the sauce back to life.
3. 3* Sun-dried tomatoes: oil-packed gives the best flavor; dry-packed should be soaked in hot water for ~10 minutes first.