BAKED ZITI ALFREDO WITH CAJUN CHICKEN

Baked Ziti Alfredo with Cajun Chicken image

To me this is the ultimate comfort food. The spiciness of the chicken is complemented by the smooth creaminess of the Alfredo sauce. Delicious with a nice glass of white wine.

Provided by Taunte Sara

Categories Pasta Main Dishes

Time 55m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 16

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Ingredients

1 (16 ounce) package ziti pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 (5 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, or to taste
½ teaspoon salt
1 large green bell pepper, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 large red bell pepper, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced, divided
6 medium Roma tomatoes, diced
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, or more as needed
1 ½ cups whole milk, or more to taste
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, or more to taste
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 10 minutes. Drain.
While the pasta is cooking, heat oil in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add chicken, Cajun seasoning, and salt. Saute until chicken is cooked through and beginning to caramelize, about 10 minutes. Add bell peppers, onion, and 1/2 of the garlic; cook until tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Add tomatoes and bring to a simmer.
Meanwhile, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add remaining garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add flour; cook and stir for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in 1 1/2 cups milk and bring to a gentle boil. Stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Add more Parmesan to thicken or more milk to thin to your liking.
Add cooked pasta to the chicken mixture; toss to coat. Transfer to a deep casserole dish. Pour cheese sauce over the pasta mixture and top with mozzarella cheese.
Bake in the preheated oven until the top is golden and bubbly, about 15 minutes.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 483.8 calories, Carbohydrate 53.1 g, Cholesterol 70.4 mg, Fat 15.4 g, Fiber 3.7 g, Protein 32 g, SaturatedFat 6.8 g, Sodium 790.5 mg, Sugar 7.2 g