A Cajun Classic

In case you didn’t know, I’m a lover of Cajun Cuisine and the tastes of Louisiana. It’s a unique blend of food styles. A little French, some Spanish, Haitian and African spices with a little Native American thrown in for good measure.

When thinking Cajun most of us think Crawdads, Gumbos and Jambalayas. While not a fan of Crawdads, I adore a good Gumbo. Chicken Lazone is truly Cajun, although not typically Cajun. It is a wonderful blend of flavors, cultures and peoples coming together in beautiful harmony while paying homage to its past.

Is it too early to be thinking about Mardi Gras and Fat Tuesday? The 4th of March will be here soon enough. May as well enjoy the “Carnival” season as long as possible, right? Yeah, that’s what I thought.

Chicken Lazone
8 oz Linguine
2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
2 teaspoons Garlic Powder
2 teaspoons Chili Powder
1 teaspoon Cajun Seasoning
Pinch Cayenne Pepper or to taste
1 lb Chicken Breast Tenderloins
4 tablespoons Butter, divided
1 cup Heavy Cream
Parsley for garnish

Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta al dente, keep warm until ready to serve.

In a small bowl, stir together salt, garlic powder, chili powder, Cajun seasoning and a whisper or two of cayenne. Sprinkle seasoning blend over the chicken tenderloins to coat beautifully.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Gently cook chicken until cooked through, turning as needed to brown without burning. Remove tenderloins from the skillet, cover and keep warm.

In the now empty skillet, heat heavy cream, scraping up any browned bits of chicken and seasoning from the bottom of the skillet. Increase heat to bring cream to a simmering boil. Reduce heat once again and let simmer until cream is reduced by half. Remove from heat. Whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons butter, one tablespoon at a time. Allow silkiness of the butter to fully blend into the cream before adding the next tablespoon. Season with salt to taste. Return chicken to the skillet; drizzle cream over the chicken.

In a warm serving platter create a bed of pasta. Arrange chicken over the pasta, pour cream over everything. Chop or snip parsley for a splash of greenery.

Serve with a simple salad, perhaps some warm bread and a nice wine. Enjoy.

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The LORD’s are the earth and its fullness;
The world and those who dwell in it.
For He founded it upon the seas
And established it upon the rivers
Psalm 24:1-2