Cashew Cream Cajun Chicken Pasta

The cream in this pasta is made in a blender before the skillet is ever hot. Cashews soaked for half an hour go in with broth, garlic, lemon and a teaspoon of the Cajun seasoning, and come out as a sauce that is already the consistency it will be served at.

That changes the cooking. There is no reduction stage and no risk of splitting a dairy sauce over heat — the cashew cream only needs two to three minutes on medium-low to come up to a gentle simmer before the pasta and chicken go back in.

Why This Recipe Works

• Soaking the cashews is what lets them blend completely smooth; the recipe is specific about thirty minutes in hot water rather than a quick rinse.
• Splitting the Cajun seasoning between the sauce and the chicken rub seasons the dish in two places, so the heat is in the sauce rather than only on the surface of the meat.
• Searing the chicken and removing it before the vegetables go in keeps it from overcooking while the peppers take their four to five minutes.
• Reserved pasta water does the final adjusting, a splash at a time, which is how a blended sauce is brought to glossy rather than by adding more fat.

Ingredient Notes

Raw cashews

Raw rather than roasted, and soaked 30 minutes in hot water. Roasted cashews carry a toasted flavour the sauce is not built around.

Nutritional yeast

Two tablespoons, optional, there for a cheesy note — it is not a thickener.

Cajun seasoning, divided

A tablespoon and a half total: one teaspoon into the blended sauce, the rest onto the chicken.

Butter

One tablespoon, and the recipe offers more olive oil instead — which is what keeps the whole dish dairy-free if you want it that way.

How to Make It

1. Soak the cashews

   Soak the cashews in hot water for 30 minutes, then drain. This is the step that decides whether the sauce blends silky or gritty.

2. Cook the pasta and save the water

   Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil, cook the pasta until al dente, and reserve a cup of the cooking water before draining.

3. Blend the cashew cream

   Blend the soaked cashews with the broth, half a cup of water, garlic, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, a teaspoon of the Cajun seasoning and salt until completely smooth and silky.

4. Season the chicken

   Pat the chicken dry and toss it with the remaining Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, cayenne, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

5. Sear and set aside

   Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high and sear the chicken 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through, then move it to a plate.

6. Soften the peppers

   Add the remaining olive oil and the butter to the skillet and sauté the onion and bell peppers 4 to 5 minutes until tender-crisp.

7. Deglaze

   Deglaze the pan with a splash of pasta water, scraping up the browned bits the chicken left.

8. Warm the sauce through

   Turn the heat to medium-low, pour in the cashew cream and stir until it is gently simmering and thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.

9. Bring it together

   Add the cooked pasta and the chicken and toss, adding pasta water a splash at a time until the sauce is glossy and coats everything.

10. Finish and taste

    Stir in the cherry tomatoes if using and the parsley, then adjust salt, pepper and heat. Parmesan on top is optional.

Success Tips

• Blend longer than feels necessary. Completely smooth is the stated target, and a slightly grainy cashew cream does not smooth out later in the pan.
• Keep the sauce at medium-low once it goes in; it is already at serving consistency and hard boiling only thickens it past where you want it.
• Hold back some pasta water even at the end — the sauce keeps tightening off the heat.

Serving Ideas

Four servings, and the Parmesan at the end is marked optional, so the dish can stay entirely dairy-free by using olive oil in place of the butter.