Cajun Chicken Alfredo

I found this recipe and I have made this a few times before and couldn't believe that I hadn't shared it with you yet!! If you love Olive Garden... you will love this recipe! I feel like I am right at Olive Garden when I make this. I'm not sure what it is... but it feels like something that should be on their menu! Yum Yum Yum!!!

A perk is that it is just as good (if not better) the next day!! So leave some for your lunch!

Cajun Chicken Alfredo [Yield: 4 servings]
4 (5-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup blackening spice (recipe to follow)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1 cup roughly chopped marinated sun-dried tomatoes
1/4 cup white wine (I don't like wine so I use chicken broth)
3 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon sea salt (I use regular)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound cooked fettuccine
1/2 cup sliced scallions

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 of the bias and set aside. (I don't have a cast iron skillet... so any skillet that is oven safe works.)

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.

Garnish with scallions and the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.

Cajun Blackening Spice [Yield: 1/4 cup]
(I wasn't able to find this spice in my grocery store, but I did find a recipe on the internet for it.)
5 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. white pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Combine and store in an air-tight container.

I don't have the patience to measure all this out and then dredge the chicken in it. So what I do is just coat the chicken in paprika, because that is the main ingredient. Then sprinkle a little bit of the rest of ingredients right over the chicken and call it good. Don't go out and buy white pepper either... just use your black pepper. No one will ever know!!

Foodnetwork.com - Guy Fieri