So you think turkey doesn’t have much spice?
Well, let me introduce you to JENNIE-O® OVEN READY™ Cajun Style Bone-In Turkey Breast – this turkey rocks it in the heat category! In fact, I was downright surprised at how spicy this product was – in a good way!
I found this product in my local Walmart store (retailing for about $16 total) before Thanksgiving, snatched it up, and kept it in my freezer until New Year’s Eve. (I believe Jennie-O makes this particular product only for Walmart.)
As with all the JENNIE-O® OVEN READY™ products, this one was completely easy to prepare. I just followed the easy instructions on the label, put the frozen bone-in breast (already packed in an oven-ready bag) in a roasting pan, and stuck it in a 375-degree oven for about 2.5 hours – until the temperature reached 165 degrees using a meat thermometer. The turkey was juicy, tender, and spicy!
On New Year’s Eve, we sliced and ate the turkey with a couple of side dishes. (Full disclosure: I completely forgot about the accompanying gravy packet, but the turkey didn’t need it. At all.)
Then a couple of days later, I took the leftovers and made Bowtie Cajun Turkey Alfredo, a rendition of a popular recipe from The Pioneer Woman. It was amazing – a little heat to go along with a creamy, homemade alfredo sauce.
And don’t worry – if you aren’t a fan of spicy, you can easily replicate this with a JENNIE-O® OVEN READY™ breast or whole turkey that isn’t pre-seasoned. That would work too!
Enjoy!
Lara
Bowtie Cajun Turkey Alfredo
Ingredients
- 16 ounces Bowtie Pasta farfalle
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2-3 cups leftover JENNIE-O® OVEN READY™ Cajun Style Bone-In Turkey Breast cubed
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth or you can also use white wine
- 1/2 cup half-and-half
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- 3/4 cups Parmesan shavings or grated
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley minced
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Cube the leftover turkey.
- Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet, followed by the minced garlic.
- Stir the garlic around the pan to avoid burning, and cook for 1 minute.
- Pour in the broth, letting it bubble up and reduce for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes.
- Add half-and-half, cream, and extra salt and pepper, whisking constantly until it's all combined. Allow liquid to heat up and thicken for a few minutes. (If it gets too thick, thin it with a little extra chicken broth.)
- When sauce has thickened (a little), add Parmesan to the pan, and stir until melted.
- Add the pasta and turkey, stir together, and let the skillet sit on low heat for 5-7 minutes, or until the turkey is heated through.
- Top with minced parsley and extra Parmesan.