Delicious marinated chicken on top of a bed of creamy alfredo penne. It is a flavor packed dinner that is a easy peasy to prepare.
I like to use chicken thighs for a recipe like this, but feel free to use chicken breasts. Keep in mind that the chicken needs to marinate a few hours at least, preferably overnight.
Ingredients:
For the chicken:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup prepared ranch dressing (not the dry mix)
3 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 Tablespoon Cajun seasoning
2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
1 Tablespoon white sugar, or to taste
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves or thighs
For the pasta:
16 oz. penne pasta
2 1/2 cups half and half
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1/4 cup butter
2/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Directions:
To prepare the chicken: In a medium bowl, stir together the olive oil, ranch dressing, Worcestershire sauce, cajun seasoning, salt, lemon juice, white vinegar, pepper, and sugar. Let stand for 5 minutes. Pound chicken breast to 1/2″ thickness. Place chicken in a large ziplock bag, seal, then mash the bag around to coat with the marinade. Refrigerate overnight.
Spray a baking dish and pour the chicken and marinade in. Preheat the oven to 415-f degrees then bake for 25-30 minutes, until cooked though and the sauce is bubbling.
To prepare the pasta: Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; set aside.
In a small saucepan, melt butter, add garlic, half and half, heavy cream, Cajun seasoning, pepper, and parmesan cheese. Whisk together on medium-low heat for 8-10 minutes. The sauce will not be thick, but once you toss it with the pasta it thickens up. In a large bowl, pour the sauce over cooked, drained pasta. Top with Cajun ranch chicken and garnish with extra cheese, if desired.