Name: Cajun Chicken & Bacon Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 23 min
Total time: 43 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 4 chicken 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 tablespoon garlic paste (or minced garlic); 2 cups heavy cream; Parmesan (finely grated (1–1½ cups, add to taste)); 2 tablespoon tomato paste; ½ jar sun-dried tomatoes (chopped (If oil-packed, drain and optionally use 1 tablespoon of the oil for extra flavor)); 2 tablespoon butter; 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)

Cajun Chicken & Bacon Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce · Tha Daily Special

Instructions

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).
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).
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.
4Sauté onion & pepper In the same skillet, sauté onion and bell pepper until softened (3–5 minutes). Remove and set aside.
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.
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.
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).
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).
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.
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* If sauce is too thick: loosen with pasta water or a splash of cream.
2* If reheating: reheat gently and add a splash of cream/water to bring the sauce back to life.
3* Sun-dried tomatoes: oil-packed gives the best flavor; dry-packed should be soaked in hot water for ~10 minutes first.