Cook the pasta as per the packet instructions. Once cooked, drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.
300 g (10.5 oz) pasta shapes
While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat.
1 tbsp sunflower oil
Add the chicken to the pan and sprinkle over the Cajun spice and black pepper.
3 chicken breasts, 1 tbsp Cajun spice mix, ½ tsp black pepper
Stir to coat the chicken and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is sealed and nearly cooked through.
Sprinkle over the crumbled stock cube and stir together.
1 chicken stock cube
Add the garlic, onion, red and yellow pepper, and the sliced jalapenos.
2 cloves garlic, 1 onion, 1 red pepper, 1 yellow pepper, 2 jalapenos (or medium heat green chillies)
Stir together and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, until the onion softens slightly.
Add in the spring onions, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, cider vinegar, cream, and parmesan cheese.
small bunch spring onions, 60 ml hot pepper sauce, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tbsp cider vinegar, 100 ml (⅓ cup + 1 tbsp) double (heavy) cream, 50 g (½ cup) parmesan cheese
Stir together and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 4-5 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked through.
By now the pasta should be ready. Add the pasta to the pan with the chicken and stir together.
Add in splashes of the pasta cooking water if you would like to loosen the sauce a little.
Divide the pasta between bowls and top with sliced jalapeno before serving.
1 jalapeno (or medium heat green chilli)
Notes
Can I make it ahead?I think this tastes best when made and served immediately. That's when you're going to get the creamiest sauce. Reheating pasta in a creamy sauce can sometimes cause any oils in the sauce to separate, leading to a slightly more oily, rather than creamy taste. However! you can liven it up again on reheating, by adding in an extra splash of cream and an extra sprinkling of parmesan.I also LOVE this dish served cold for lunch the next day as the basis for a GREAT pasta salad. Just throw in some baby salad leaves and chopped tomatoes and you're done.If you are looking to make ahead, or reheat leftovers, then make the dish, quickly cool, cover and refrigerate.Reheat (with extra cream and parmesan) in a microwave for 3-4 minutes, or in a lidded saucepan, over a low heat, for about 6-7 minutes, until the chicken and pasta are piping hot throughout. You'll need to stir a couple of times during reheating too.Can I freeze it?Same rules apply as above. Cook, quickly cool, cover and freeze. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat as per the instructions above.Ingredient swaps
I sometimes like to halve the parmesan, and just before serving, sprinkle over crumbled Lancashire or aged Cheddar cheese. Trust me, those little nuggets of cheese with that spice chicken are amazing! If you're a fan of blue cheese, then crumbled Stilton is a great (and more traditional) option too.
Chris recently made this for him and the kids while I was away, and he sprinkled crispy bacon on top at the end. I've been told it was even better than my version (aren't kids lovely!). So I guess bacon is also the way to go!
This dish can easily take an extra couple of vegetables. Peas, courgette and mange tout work great.
Nutritional information is per serving (this recipe serves 4).