Cajun Chicken Alfredo Food

CAJUN-INJECTED SPICY TURKEY

Steps:

• Make the marinade by combining the Worcestershire sauce, crab boil, apple cider, honey, beer, salt, allspice, Creole seasoning, cayenne, olive oil, and minced garlic in a blender and process until very smooth, about 5 minutes. Fill a large syringe* and inject turkey in the breast and thigh area, as well as the back, wings, and legs, with at least 2/3 of the marinade. You will have to fill the syringe numerous times.
• Preheat the oven to 420 degrees F and line a large roasting pan with aluminum foil.
• Season the injected turkey well both inside and out with the kosher salt and black pepper. Place the turkey in a large roasting pan lined with aluminum foil and pour the remaining marinade all over the turkey. Bake the turkey uncovered for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F, add 1 cup of the chicken broth to the roasting pan, and continue to bake the turkey until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the deepest part between the thigh and the leg registers 165 degrees F. (If the turkey begins to brown too much, tent loosely with aluminum foil until it is done. Also, add more broth as necessary to keep the bottom of the roasting pan from burning.)
• When the turkey is done, remove it from the oven and set aside to rest at least 20 minutes before carving.

CAJUN CHICKEN ALFREDO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Dredge the chicken breasts in the blackening spice and place in a cast iron skillet over very high heat. Blacken both sides of the chicken and place in the oven for 10 minutes, or until internal temperature of chicken reaches 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Slice in strips on the bias and set aside.
• In a saute pan over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil. Add garlic and lightly caramelize. Then add the sun-dried tomatoes and the chicken slices. Deglaze the pan with the white wine. Add the heavy cream, increase the heat to a simmer, and reduce the cream sauce by half.
• When the cream sauce is to desired consistency, stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan, salt, pepper, and pasta.
• Nest the pasta on large rimmed plates, pour sauce over pasta, and garnish with scallions and the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.

CAJUN MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 1 minute less than the label directs. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta. Meanwhile, combine the olive oil and sausage in a large skillet over high heat and cook, stirring, until the sausage starts to brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in the scallions and bell pepper and cook until the vegetables are slightly soft, about 3 more minutes. Add the Cajun spice and flour and cook, stirring, 2 more minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk and continue whisking until the sauce is thick and smooth, about 5 more minutes. Add the pasta, cheese and reserved cooking water to the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook, tossing to coat the pasta in the sauce and melt the cheese, about 1 minute.

CAJUN SPICED BURGERS

Steps:

• SET UP: Prepare a grill or grill pan and heat to medium-high heat.
• FORM THE PATTIES: Gently mix the ground beef, Cajun seasoning, and scallions. Form into four 1/2-inch-thick patties.
• MIX THE REMOULADE: Combine the mayonnaise, mustard, hot sauce, parsley, and celery in a small bowl. Refrigerate until needed.
• GRILL EVERYTHING: Grill the patties, flipping once, to desired doneness, about 4 minutes per side for medium. Brush the onion and green pepper with the oil and grill the vegetables until lightly charred and tender, about 5 minutes total.
• SERVE: Toast the buns on the grill for a minute or so. Put a patty on the bottom bun and top with remoulade. Add some onion and bell pepper, then add the top bun.

CAJUN CORN MAQUE CHOUX

Steps:

• 1. Cut the kernels off of the corn into a large bowl. Using the back of the knife, scrape the sweet corn milk from the cobs to extract about 3 tablespoons and add it to the bowl. Set aside.
• 2. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until the fat renders and the bacon is crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel-lined plate and set aside. Add the butter to the skillet and when melted, add the celery, bell peppers and onions. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the vegetables are soft, about 15 minutes. Add the milk, scallion whites, garlic, tomatoes and corn. Cook until thickened, 10 minutes.
• 3. Serve garnished with the scallion greens and reserved bacon.

CAJUN CHICKEN PASTA

Steps:

• Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain when the pasta is still al dente; do not overcook!
• Sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun spice (or more) over the chicken cubes. Toss around to coat. Heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon oil in a heavy skillet over high heat. Add half the chicken in a single layer; do not stir. Allow the chicken to brown on one side, about 1 minute. Flip to the other side and cook an additional minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a clean plate. Repeat with the remaining chicken. Remove the chicken, leaving the skillet on high heat. Add the remaining butter and olive oil. When heated, add the garlic, peppers and onions. Sprinkle on the remaining Cajun spice, and add salt if needed. Cook over high heat for 1 minute, stirring gently and trying to get the vegetables as dark/black as possible. Add the tomatoes and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Remove all the vegetables from the skillet.
• With the skillet still over high heat, pour in the chicken broth and wine. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Reduce the heat to medium-low and pour in the cream, stirring/whisking constantly. Cook the sauce over medium-low heat for a few minutes, until the cream starts to thicken the mixture. Taste and add freshly ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, and/or salt to taste. The sauce should be spicy!
• Finally, add the chicken and vegetables to the sauce, making sure to include all the juices that have drained onto the plate. Stir and cook until the mixture is bubbly and hot, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the drained fettuccine and toss to combine.
• Top with chopped fresh parsley and chow down!

CAJUN JAMBALAYA

Steps:

• For the Creole seasoning: Combine the salt, black pepper, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, white pepper and cumin in a medium bowl.
• For the jambalaya: Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 5-quart heavy-bottomed pot or large Dutch oven over medium heat. Rub the chicken with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and 2 tablespoons of the Creole seasoning in a medium bowl until evenly coated. Add the chicken to the pot and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a large bowl. Add the sausage to the pot and cook until browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to the large bowl with the chicken. The bottom of the pot should be covered with browned bits.
• Add the celery, onions and peppers and cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot occasionally, until the onions are translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic, bay leaf, cayenne, thyme and 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning. Add the rice and stir once or twice to coat. Stir in the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, cooked chicken and sausage and remaining Creole seasoning. Stir in the chicken stock. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook until the liquid is reduced, and you see little holes on the top, about 30 minutes.
• Use a fork to stir in half of the green onions and fluff the rice. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Garnish with the remaining green onions and serve immediately.