Cajun Chicken Pasta on the Lighter Side

Celebrate Mardi Gras with this colorful Cajun spiced pasta tossed with chicken strips, bell peppers, red onion, mushrooms and scallions in a creamy light sauce.

One of the easiest ways to lighten up a pasta dish is to add tons of protein and vegetables to your dish which keeps the portions large and the carbs low and this dish is a perfect example. Be sure to be generous with your Cajun spices, it should have plenty of kick so don't be shy!

I took a knife skills class at Sur La Table this week with my girlfriend and of course I HAD to buy a new knife and cutting board there. I was so excited to put my new skills to work and cut my veggies like a pro with my new knife, a task I would normally dread.

This dish comes together rather quickly once all your vegetables are chopped.

You can make this with shrimp instead of chicken, or use a combination of both. Make this vegetarian by leaving the chicken out or replacing it with tofu and the chicken broth with vegetable broth. You can also make this gluten-free by using brown rice pasta and replacing the flour with 1 teaspoon of corn starch. Hope you enjoy!!

Cajun Chicken Pasta on the Lighter Side

Skinnytaste.com

Servings: 5 • Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups • Old Points: 6 pts • Points+: 8 pts

Calories: 323.8 • Fat: 6.2 g • Protein: 25.9 g • Carb: 44.1 g • Fiber: 6.3 g • Sugar: 3.2 g

Sodium: 126.5 mg (without salt)

Ingredients:

8 ounces uncooked linguine (I used Dreamfields)

1 pound chicken breast strips

1-2 tsp Cajun seasoning (or to taste)

1 tbsp olive oil

1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 medium yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced

8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced

1/2 red onion, sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 medium tomatoes, diced

1 cup fat free low sodium chicken broth

1/3 cup skim milk

1 tbsp flour

3 tbsp light cream cheese

fresh cracked pepper

2 scallions, chopped

salt to taste

Smart Balance cooking spray

Directions:

Prep all your vegetables. In a small blender make a slurry by combining milk, flour and cream cheese. Set aside. Season chicken generously with Cajun seasoning, garlic powder and salt.

Prepare

pasta in salted water according to package directions.

Heat

a large heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat;

spray

with cooking spray and

add

half of the chicken.

Sauté

5 to 6 minutes or until done,

set aside

on a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken.

Set aside.

Add

olive oil to the skillet and reduce to medium;

add

bell peppers, onions, and garlic to skillet,

sauté

3-4 minutes

.

Add

mushrooms and tomatoes and

sauté

3-4 more minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Season

with 1/4 tsp salt, garlic powder and fresh cracked pepper to taste.

Reduce

heat to medium-low;

add

chicken broth and

pour

in slurry

stirring

about 2 minutes.

Return

chicken to skillet;

adjust

salt and Cajun seasoning to taste,

cook

another minute or two until hot, then

add

linguine;

toss

well to coat.

Top

with chopped scallions and enjoy!

Makes 7 1/2 cups.