Creamy Cajun Chicken Linguine – A Simplified Gousto Recipe

Here is a simplified Gousto Creamy Cajun Chicken Linguine recipe. When it comes to following recipes I feel people make it overly complicated. For me it is much better if everything is written in each step that I need to make it. So that I can literally read each step and not worry about what will happen beyond that. Especially if two things need doing at the same time.

Ingredients for Creamy Cajun Chicken Linguine

Firstly it is important to make sure I have all the ingredients. If I don’t if there is anything that I could substitute or simply leave out.

For this recipe I need:

• Onions (I use frozen it’s much easier)
• Garlic
• Chili – or Romano pepper, or just any pepper if you want! In fact one time I even used courgette instead!
• 100g Soft cheese
• 30ml Chinese rice wine – I use Mirin but dry sherry, dry white wine or rice vinegar with sugar will do. I don’t measure I just dash a bit in the pan.
• Chicken stock
• Chicken breast (I do one for each person)
• Sunflower oil
• Linguine – I just use one packet

Seasonings

• Salt
• Pepper
• Teaspoon of each
  • Cumin
  • Oregano
  • Cayenne pepper
  • Smoked paprika

Equipment Needed to Make Creamy Cajun Chicken Linguine

Next you want to make sure that you have all the equipment you need to make it. The original Gousto card just states that no special equipment is required – but that doesn’t help get it all ready!

• Plate (for mixing spices on) (obviously plates for serving too)
• Baking tray
• Oven gloves
• Saucepan
• Frying pan
• Chopping board
• Knife or knives (I use a small one for chopping and a larger one for the chicken)
• Kettle (optional)
• Jug
• teaspoon
• Wooden spoon
• Drainer/colander

Creamy Cajun Chicken Linguine Method Simplified

Getting Everything Ready

Thirdly make sure you have everything ready. This means getting your equipment all out (if you haven’t already). Then chopping up anything you need and putting a bit of oil in the frying pan. Finally for this step add water in the saucepan and kettle.

When chopping the chili it said on the packet that I needed gloves. Obviously I didn’t have any and I was fine. What I did was turn it upside down and cut it carefully. Of course making sure I didn’t rub my eyes or anything and washing my hands afterwards.

Making the Cajun Spice Mix

Fourthly you want to take your plate and make the Cajun Spice Mix. Simply measure out everything I have listed under “Seasonings” and mix together on a plate. You can adjust it to your tastes -adding less smoked paprika and cayenne pepper if you do not like it hot!

Starting the Cooking

• You want to preheat the oven 220 or 200C (fan)/Gas Mark 7.
• Turn on the hob to boil the water in the saucepan.
• Press each chicken breast into the Cajun Spice Mix.

• Turn on a hob for the frying pan and heat the oil.
• Add the Cajun spiced chicken (spice-side down) into the frying pan.
• Cook for 2-3 minutes just on one side until the spices are sealed and then transfer to a baking tray.
• Once you have done this for each of your chicken breasts place the tray in the oven.

• In the meantime add the linguine to the saucepan once it starts boiling. Make sure you keep an eye on it to make sure it all goes into the water and does not stick. It should take around 10 minutes.

• Add the onion, garlic and chilli (or alternatives) to the frying pan – also cook this for around 9 minutes and then add your Chinese rice wine and cook for a further minute.

Making a Creamy Stock

• To make the creamy stock you simply mix the soft cheese with chicken stock! I make it in a jug and give it a stir with the teaspoon used for measuring the spices.
• Then add the creamy stock into the frying pan with your (now) soft vegetables. Cooking until the chicken is cooked (no pink meat/juices run clear).

Finally

• The last steps are to drain the linguine with the colander and mix with the creamy Cajun sauce from the frying pan. I recommend doing this back in the saucepan once you have removed the water.
• Take your tray of chicken out of the oven (obviously using oven gloves) and slice the chicken up finely.
• Finally, dish up the creamy linguine and sauce and place the sliced chicken on the top.