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Bayou Pasta
Have you ever had Chili’s Cajun Chicken Pasta? It tastes just like Emeril Lagasse’s Bayou Chicken Pasta. Months ago, I found a food storage version of this recipe from Megan at My Food Storage Cookbook. I was intrigued, but not thrilled about using canned chicken, chilies and evaporated milk. I just didn’t want all the additives and preservatives. But I love Cajun Chicken pasta! So, I put the recipe on my list of those to try, but decided to use freeze dried chicken, green chilies and my go-to bechamel sauce instead.
The result was delicious! I might have had two very large platefuls that night as well as leftovers for lunch the next day (shhhh…don’t tell). The bechamel sauce is what makes this dish truly over the top.
Making the Pasta
Gather your ingredients:
Add 1 1/2 cups water and 1 Tablespoon Chef’s Choice Seasoning to the freeze dried chicken. This needs to sit for about 12-15 minutes before you add it to the sauce. Make sure you gently stir it every 2-3 minutes.
Add 1 Tablespoon oil to saute pan over medium high heat. Add green chilies, white onions ,and green onions and saute for 15-30 seconds until white onions just barely start to brown. Then add 3 cups water. Go (gently) stir the chicken!
Bring to a simmer, then very slowly whisk bechamel sauce into the onion mixture. Make sure to whisk well and get all the clumps out. Go (gently) stir the chicken!
Whisk in tomato powder and 1-2 Tablespoons Chef’s Choice seasoning (depending on how spicy you want it). Stir until completely mixed. Go (gently) stir the chicken!
You should now have a beautiful, creamy sauce.
Add tomato dices and gently fold them into the sauce.
Then add chicken (extra liquid and all).
Beautiful!
- 3 cups [url href=”https://simplefamilypreparedness.thrivelive.com/seasoned-chicken-slices-freeze-dried.html” target=”_blank”]freeze dried chicken slices[/url]
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1/2 – 1 Tbsp. [url href=”https://simplefamilypreparedness.thrivelive.com/chef-s-choice.html” target=”_blank”]chef’s choice all purpose blend seasoning[/url] depending on how spicy you want it.
- 1/3 cup [url href=”https://simplefamilypreparedness.thrivelive.com/freeze-dried-chopped-onions-1.html” target=”_blank”]freeze dried onion[/url]
- 2 Tbsp. – 1/3 cup [url href=”https://simplefamilypreparedness.thrivelive.com/green-onions.html” target=”_blank”]freeze dried green onions[/url]
- 3 Tbsp. [url href=”https://simplefamilypreparedness.thrivelive.com/green-chili-peppers-freeze-dried.html” target=”_blank”]freeze dried green chilies[/url] depending on how spicy you want it.
- 3 cups water
- 1 1/2 cup [url href=”https://simplefamilypreparedness.thrivelive.com/bechamel.html” target=”_blank”]bechamel sauce powder[/url]
- 3 Tbsp. [url href=”https://simplefamilypreparedness.thrivelive.com/tomato-powder-1.html”]tomato powder[/url]
- 1-2 Tbsp. [url href=”https://simplefamilypreparedness.thrivelive.com/chef-s-choice.html” target=”_blank”]chef’s choice all purpose blend seasoning[/url] depending on how spicy you want it.
- 3/4 cup [url href=”https://simplefamilypreparedness.thrivelive.com/tomato-dices-freeze-dried.html” target=”_blank”]freeze dried tomato dices[/url]
- 3 tsp. garlic powder
- 2 tsp. (or 1.5 tsp. dried parsley) [url href=”https://simplefamilypreparedness.thrivelive.com/parsley.html” target=”_blank”]freeze dried parsley[/url]
- Add 1 1/2 cups water and 1 Tbsp. Chef’s Choice Seasoning to the chicken.
- Make sure you gently stir it every 2-3 minutes until hydrated (about 12-15 minutes total).
- While chicken sits, add 1 Tbsp. oil to saute pan over medium high heat.
- Add green chilies, white onions, and green onions and saute for 15-30 seconds until white onions just barely start to brown.
- Add 3 cups water.
- Go (gently) stir the chicken!
- Bring to a simmer, then very slowly whisk bechamel sauce into the onion mixture. Make sure to whisk well and get all the clumps out.
- Go (gently) stir the chicken!
- Whisk in tomato powder and 2 Tbsp. Chef’s Choice seasoning. Stir until completely mixed.
- Go (gently) stir the chicken!
- Add tomato dices and gently fold them into the sauce.
- Add chicken (extra liquid and all) and mix well.
- Serve over your favorite pasta (I use linguine).
Want More Food Storage Recipes?
If you’d like more (family approved) 100% food storage recipes, I have a recipe book that you can find here or by clicking on the image below.
Hahaha. Never mind. The picture finally loaded and I can see the pasta under the sauce. Thanks again 🙂
I didn’t see any mention as to the pasta. Do you add pasta to the sauce or pour the sauce over pasta? This looks amazing. I am going to try it for dinner tonight. Thanks Misty!!!
Sorry Vicki. I just saw this. Glad you figured it out! I did add that step to the recipe though. Thanks for the tip!
I loved it. It was very delicious but it was a bit too spicy for the little ones. Easy fix though
Thank you for the recipe.