Cajun-Spiced Chicken & Mushroom Cavatappi
with Creamy Tomato Sauce, Green Pepper & Scallions
- Wheat
- Tree Nuts
Get ready for a rich, luscious vegan pasta dinner! Coconut milk may sound like an odd addition to your go-to red sauce, but trust us, it’s what gives our vegan veggie-packed pasta its next-level creaminess. You’ll start by sautéing mushrooms and green pepper, adding scallion and garlic, then creating a creamy spiced roux right in the pan for maximum Cajun flavor. Diced tomatoes and coconut milk bring it all together for a sauce so delicious that cavatappi pasta can’t resist hopping right in. If you’re feeling the bayou in you, finish with hot sauce and let the good times roll!
Ingredients
1 unit
Veggie Stock Concentrate
10 ounce
Chopped Chicken Breast
6 ounce
Cavatappi Pasta
(Contains: Wheat)
4 ounce
Button Mushrooms
14 ounce
Diced Tomatoes
1 unit
Long Green Pepper
2 unit
Mushroom Stock Concentrate
1 unit
Coconut Milk
(Contains: Tree Nuts)
2 clove
Garlic
2 unit
Scallions
1 tablespoon
Flour
(Contains: Wheat)
1 teaspoon
Hot Sauce
1 tablespoon
Blackening Spice
Not included in your delivery
½ teaspoon (tsp)
Sugar
1 teaspoon (tsp)
Olive Oil
4 teaspoon (tsp)
Cooking Oil
Nutrition Values
Utensils
Cooking Steps
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Wash and dry produce. • Trim and thinly slice mushrooms (skip if your mushrooms are pre-sliced!). Core and thinly slice green pepper into strips. Peel and mince or grate garlic. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens.
• Once water is boiling, add cavatappi to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 9-11 minutes. • Reserve ¾ cup pasta cooking water (1 cup for 4 servings), then drain.
Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season all over with salt and pepper. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken in a single layer; cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through, 4-6 minutes. Turn off heat; transfer to a plate. Wipe out pan.
• Heat a large drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and green pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and tender, 5-7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. • Stir in garlic, scallion whites, flour, Blackening Spice, and another large drizzle of oil; cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
Use pan used for chicken here.
• Add diced tomatoes to same pan and cook, stirring, until jammy, 2-3 minutes. Stir in coconut milk (shaking first), stock concentrates, ½ tsp sugar, and ¼ cup reserved pasta cooking water (1 tsp sugar and 1⁄3 cup pasta cooking water for 4 servings). • Bring to a simmer; cook, stirring, until thickened, 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Stir drained cavatappi and a drizzle of olive oil into pan with sauce; toss to coat.
Add chicken to sauce along with cavatappi.
• Divide pasta between bowls. Garnish with scallion greens and drizzle with as much hot sauce as you like. Serve.
Chicken is fully cooked when internal temperature reaches 165°.
Customer reviews
Review summary
Updated on Dec 2025- Flavor: Some loved the Cajun spices, while others found the coconut milk overpowering. Adjust seasoning to taste for a balanced flavor.
- Ease of prep: Quick and easy to prepare, making it a great option for weekday meals.
- Suggestions: Consider swapping the long green pepper for a milder bell pepper if sensitive to heat 🌶️.
- Leftovers: Packs well for lunch, with generous portions that reheat nicely.
- Customization: Works well with gluten-free pasta substitutions for those with dietary restrictions.
Reviews from our home cooks
The long green pepper was way too spicy and sauteeing it had my whole house coughing, sneezing, and blowing their nose. Wish this recipe came with a bell pepper instead. Meal was also too saucy, I wish the pasta portion had been doubled. Other than that, meal was very tasty.
Loved the kick of Cajun spices and with the chicken strips it was a good healthy meal!
I love making pasta and the flavors here were nice and spicy. A nice and easy dish for a weekday meal.
I wish that hello fresh offered gluten free options on noodles. I substituted the cavatappi for my gluten free pasta and it was fantastic!
So yummy. I swapped out Gluten Free pasta for mine but I also can't eat dairy so the coconut milk for the cream was perfect!!
Was good but seemed almost like a fra diavolo dish.....didnt seem very "cajun"
Its a bizarre flavor.... thai coconut in a cajun dish? Not good.
Was missing something in the sauce just couldn't figure out what.
The coconut milk is very strong and overpowers the taste and smell.
The long green pepper has no flavor and an unenjoyable texture.
