Cajun Pastalaya

This is my Cajun pastalaya recipe that I put together after trying 3 or 4 different local Southern Louisiana recipes. Hope y’all enjoy! Serve with crusty bread.

Preparation Details

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 45 mins

Total Time: 1 hr

Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 pound andouille sausage, sliced
• 1 cup finely chopped celery
• 1 large sweet onion (such as Vidalia), finely chopped
• 1 large green bell pepper, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes (such as San Marzano)
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning (such as Tony Chachere’s)
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (Optional)
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 (16 ounce) package penne pasta
• 1 pound uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• ½ cup heavy whipping cream
• ½ bunch fresh thyme, chopped
• ½ bunch fresh oregano, chopped
• ½ bunch fresh basil, chopped
• ¼ cup chopped green onions
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, or to taste

Steps

1. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add sausage and cook for 2 minutes. Add celery, onion, bell pepper, and garlic; cook until soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Add chicken and cook until no longer pink inside and juices run clear, 5 to 7 minutes more. Add tomatoes, paprika, Creole seasoning, and cayenne pepper; bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
2. Add broth to the pot and return to a simmer. Add penne and simmer for 8 minutes. Add shrimp. Continue to simmer, stirring constantly, until pasta is tender but firm to the bite and shrimp are cooked through, about 7 minutes more.
3. Stir in cream. Stir in thyme, oregano, and basil. Cook until just heated through, 3 to 5 minutes more. Serve topped with green onions and Parmesan cheese.