Original Recipe: Grilled Chicken Breasts
My family is big on pasta. And bbq. Well, I guess we’re big on food in general. And we eat a lot of chicken. It’s quick, affordable and healthy. It would be silly not to eat a lot of chicken.
And we tend to have a lot of smoked chicken leftovers. We purposely don’t sauce a lot of our chicken (especially when it’s from a whole smoked chicken), so I can magically concoct 500 new recipes from the same chicken.
In this recipe, I use Slap Ya Mama Cajun Seasoning
for the sauce we use a combination of milk, butter and flour but if you want it to be even creamier then take a clue from my friend Cara who adds cream cheese to her Creamy Cajun Pasta recipe!
This happens to be one of our family favorites. It’s so good I’m usually dishing seconds out to my boys before I sit down and have mine. So, if you get to eat it fresh and hot, let me know how it tastes.
I usually eat it cold…all you moms out there feel my pain.
Leftover Smoked Chicken Breast Recipe: Cajun Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 cups of shredded or cubed leftover smoked chicken
- 3 cups of milk
- 4 tablespoons of butter
- 3 tablespoons of flour
- 3 teaspoons of your favorite cajun seasoning
- 2 cloves of garlic crushed
- 10 ounces of spaghetti noodles or your favorite noodle
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Get a pot of water going for your noodles. You can start your noodles while making this sauce, because this is a very quick recipe.
- First you need to make a rue. You do this by melting the butter in a large saucepan, then adding the flour. With a rubber spatula, mix the butter and flour together until it gets creamy. Then add your milk. You'll have to stir fairly often - milk will burn if you leave it unattended. The sauce should start thickening and bubbling after a few minutes. Add in your crushed garlic then.Then add your chicken and salt and pepper.
- You can also add in your cajun spice now. Kevin and I like more heat than our children do, so we lessen the heat for them, and then crank it up after we serve their plates. It just depends on how spicy you like things. Three teaspoons is average on the spice scale. Adjust to your preference.
- I have added all kinds of veggies to this pasta too - usually whatever I have in the fridge/freezer. Broccoli, asparagus, onions, peppers - whatever veggies you like. If you want veggies, saute those before making your rue. Then using the same pan as you did for your veggies, take them out and add them back in when you add in your chicken. Or, for an extra yumminess, use leftover grilled veggies! THAT would be ideal.
- If you want to REALLY show off, add some cheesy garlic bread(a.k.a. Patti Bread) to serve with the pasta. Everyone will LOVE you!
Made this tonight to use leftover smoked chicken. Changed it a little bit. Added fresh portobello mushrooms and parsley. Topped with Italian cheese blend because that is what I had on hand. Baked at 400 for 30 min. Wonderful! So easy. Will definitely keep this recipe.
OK I made this from my son and I tonight for dinner. I have to say it was awesome!!
How long is it safe to keep refrigerated leftover pulled smoked chicken? What about in the freezer?
I believe it’s safe to keep in fridge for 5-7 days. Freezer – a really long time – as long as it’s properly vacuum sealed. If it’s not, it will go back much quicker.
One of my favorite things that we make. Delicious.
Liz made this tonight. It was awesome!!! Had a nice kick to it.
This is a recipe my hubby will love – all his favorite things plus cajun!!!! So this is a winner all the way around!! Thanks!