Copycat Louisiana Chicken Pasta

Total Time Prep: 30 min. Cook: 40 min.
Yield 4 servings
Test Kitchen Approved
You could head out to dinner, or you could stay in and replicate The Cheesecake Factory's best-selling Louisiana chicken pasta recipe at home. We'll show you how.

Ingredients

  • 1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, butterflied, cut into four fillets and pounded 1/4-in. thick
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
  • 1 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 tablespoon Louisiana-style hot sauce
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • VEGETABLES:
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped sweet red pepper
  • 1 cup chopped sweet yellow pepper
  • 1 cup sliced fresh cremini mushrooms
  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
  • PASTA:
  • 1 pound uncooked bow tie pasta
  • CAJUN CREAM SAUCE:
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 4 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
  • 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

Directions

  1. In a shallow bowl, combine flour and Cajun seasoning. In a second shallow bowl, combine milk and hot sauce. In a third shallow bowl, combine bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Dip chicken first in flour mixture, shaking off excess. Next, dip in milk mixture, allowing excess to drip off. Finally, coat in the bread crumb mixture, pressing to adhere. Repeat with remaining pieces of chicken.
  2. Preheat oven to 200°. In a large skillet, heat canola oil over medium heat; working in batches, cook chicken until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 160°, 3-4 minutes per side. Place chicken on baking sheet or oven-safe plate; keep warm in oven.
  3. Wipe skillet clean with a paper towel; add olive oil and return to the stovetop over medium heat. Stir in bell peppers, mushrooms and green onion; cook until tender, 7-8 minutes. Remove to a bowl; set aside and keep warm.
  4. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions for al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1/4 cup pasta water. Set pasta aside and keep warm.
  5. For sauce, in the same skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and crushed red pepper flakes; cook until fragrant, 30-60 seconds. Add heavy cream and bring to a simmer; reduce heat. Simmer until cream has reduce by half, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in whole milk, butter and Cajun seasoning.
  6. Add cooked pasta, Parmesan and vegetable mixture to the cream sauce; toss to coat. If needed, gradually add reserved pasta water until desired creamy consistency is reached.
  7. Serve immediately with chicken. If desired, top with parsley.

Nutrition Facts

1 serving: 1284 calories, 60g fat (27g saturated fat), 208mg cholesterol, 1433mg sodium, 121g carbohydrate (14g sugars, 7g fiber), 66g protein.

If you’ve never tried The Cheesecake Factory’s Louisiana chicken pasta, this copycat recipe will show you exactly what you’ve been missing out on. A delicious Cajun cream sauce covers Parmesan-crusted chicken and bow-tie pasta, making it hard to resist a second serving. —Lauren Habermehl, Pewaukee, Wisconsin
Recipe Creator

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