Cheesecake Factory's Louisiana Chicken Pasta

One of our favorite restaurants to go to as a family is the Cheesecake Factory! I went there for the first time at fashion island in Newport for my 15th birthday. I don't remember much about that day but I do remember being seated next to the window on a beautiful clear day. If you have ever been to that particular spot, you know you can see the ocean and sometimes as far as a neighboring islands.

It quickly became one of our favorite restaurants, and place we would go for a date or celebratory dinner. Jon and I were thrilled when we found out that one was going in here in Riverside a few years back!

I don't tend to stick with one thing I like to try new things on the menu. But Jon LOVES the Louisiana Chicken Pasta, he orders that EVERY time we go. I have tried and tried to get the recipe for it with no avail, until this week.

I just randomly googled it as I have in the past, but this time I found a recipe that looked like it could fit the bill, and I think it did! So, here it is...

I got the recipe from recipesecret.com from one of their forums.

For the pan fried chicken:

4 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
3/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup parmesan cheese (grated)
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons flour

For the Cajun Sauce

1 tablespoon butter
1 small yellow pepper (chopped)
1 small red bell pepper (chopped)
3/4 small red onion (chopped)
3 whole garlic cloves (minced)
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1-1/4 pints whipping cream
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
4 tablespoons fresh basil (thinly sliced)
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 (12 ounce) package bow tie pasta
1 cup mushroom (sliced)

Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat.

Add yellow and red bell peppers, mushrooms, and onion to same skillet,until
crisp-tender, about 4 minute.

Add garlic and crushed red pepper to skillet and saute 3 minutes.

Add whipping cream and chicken stock.

Simmer until sauce re-heats and thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. (I let it "hang out" longer. It gave the sauce its signature color)

Add basil (I didn't have any. oops)and 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese to sauce, stirring to
incorporate.

Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.(This is important because the cheese adds the salty flavor by itself, and you run the risk of over salting if you salt before the cheese) Reduce heat to low, simmer;
sauce will reduce and thicken.

Start the water for the bow-tie pasta

Cook bow-tie pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until
tender but still firm to bite.

Drain and return to pot.

Wash and drain chicken breasts.

Pound until very thin (the thinner the chicken breasts the better).

Mix breadcrumbs, flour, and Parmesan cheese together.

Place milk in dish for dipping.

Dip chicken in breadcrumb mixture and then in milk and then back in
breadcrumbs.

Place in fry pan that the oil has been heated and fry at medium high
temperature until golden crisp and cooked through.

Add more oil as needed.

Remove and drain chicken; keep warm.

Add sauce to the pasta and toss to coat.

Place pasta with sauce on plate, and top with chicken breast.

Serve, passing additional Parmesan separately.

Serves 5 to 7

Enjoy!

Oh, and isn't the cheesecake factory's website freaky??? Yes- I do look at the links before I post them... <3>