Blackened Chicken over Cajun Penne Pasta
INGREDIENTS:
3/4 stick salted butter
1 pint Half & Half
2 cups milk
2 Tablespoons + 1 teaspoon flour
2 & 1/2 teaspoons Smallwood General Spice
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 box Barilla penne pasta noodles
chopped green onions
2 large or 3 small boneless chicken breasts coated with the desired amount of Smallwood General Spice (for blackening). After coating, let rest for at least 10 minutes.
DIRECTIONS:
Over medium heat, melt 3/4 stick of salted butter. Add the pint of the half & half, stir. Add all of the spices and stir in. Now stir in the milk.
While stirring with a whisk, turn up the heat to medium high and slowly add 2 Tablespoons of the flour. While stirring, increase the heat and bring to a boil (be careful not to boil over, once it starts rising to the top, remove it from the fire). Be sure to continuously stir the pan so that the bottom won't scorch.
Turn down to a simmer for 25 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Now, we are ready to thicken the sauce just a tad bit more. Turn up the heat to medium high, stirring in 1 teaspoon of flour, again stirring often, bringing to a boil, careful not to boil over or scorch the pan. Turn off the heat and let the sauce rest for 5 minutes to thicken again. (At this point, if you are still waiting on the noodles or the chicken, just leave it turned off and heat it up again when you serve.)
Meanwhile:
Grill or smoke the chicken breasts outdoors - either on a rack or on an iron skillet. (Careful of doing this inside, the blackening process can create a thick smoke.) Let the chicken rest after grilling for 5 minutes to seal in moisture. Then slice the chicken into long diagonal strips.
(Chicken coated with Smallwood General Spice, ready to be grilled.)
Meanwhile:
Cook 1/2 box of Barilla penne pasta noodles according to directions/your taste.
Serving:
Once all is ready, drain the penne pasta noodles. On each plate, make a layer of the penne pasta, then ladle the desired amount of sauce over the pasta (quickly re-heated). Arrange sliced chicken over the pasta. Ladle a light layer of sauce over the chicken. Sprinkle with green onions.
This is a delicious dish that will impress anyone! You can make this recipe spicier next time just by adding more Smallwood General Spice. Compare this recipe to many restaurants who are *trying* to make a better version of this than you are now making at home!
You are now a Major General Saucier!
