Penne with Cajun Hot Links and Chipotle Shrimp

  4.3 – 174 reviews  • Pasta Recipes
Level: Easy
Total: 35 min
Prep: 20 min
Cook: 15 min
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

  1. 1-ounce olive oil
  2. 4 hot links, all beef, cut in 6 bias slices
  3. 20 (21/25 shrimp), deveined, shelled and butterflied
  4. 2 cups heavy cream
  5. 1 cup Chipotle Sauce, recipe follows
  6. 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  7. 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  8. 1 pound cooked penne pasta
  9. 1/2 cup Parmesan, grated plus more for serving
  10. 1 tablespoon diced Roma tomato
  11. 1 tablespoon diced scallion
  12. 1 1/2 cups BBQ sauce
  13. 3/4 cup canola oil
  14. 1/3 cup lemon juice
  15. 3/4-ounce Dijon mustard
  16. 1 to 2 chipotle peppers in adobo
  17. 3/4-ounce red chili flakes
  18. 1/3 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  19. 1/3 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. In saute pan over high heat, add olive oil and hot links. Sear links until browned. Add the shrimp and cook until pink. Lower heat to medium. Then add cream, 3/4 of the Chipotle Sauce, salt and pepper. Add cooked pasta and the cheese. Toss to combine. 
  2. Serve in pasta bowl and garnish with diced tomato, scallions, more sauce, if desired, and grated Parmesan.
  3. Combine all ingredients in blender, puree, cover and refrigerate.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 of 4 servings
Calories 2003
Total Fat 117 g
Saturated Fat 42 g
Carbohydrates 139 g
Dietary Fiber 7 g
Sugar 44 g
Protein 103 g
Cholesterol 430 mg
Sodium 2199 mg

Reviews

Julia Murphy
You really have to love bbq sauce and chipotle flavor. The spice must be adjusted to your taste. The hot links and chipotle was enough for me. I left the heat out the chipotle sauce. I agree it would be great for a crowd.
Mary Thomas DDS
I’ve made a lot of dishes from Food Network (probably about 30 or 40 different ones), usually after having seen them on one of the shows.  I think this one is the best of all.  I saw this on Guy’s Big Bite (why don’t they show cooking shows on this channel anymore?) and made it about ten years ago and have been making it ever since.  It’s a great dish to bring to a party or pot luck as it’s definitely unique and I’ve never met anyone who didn’t like it.  And it’s easy to make–it was one of the very first recipes I ever tried because it’s so basic (in terms of skills, complex in terms of flavor!).  One tip–if you are bringing it to an event, make two (because both will be eaten), but make one without the shrimp in case anyone has a shellfish allergy.  But man, this is a great dish.
Lisa Smith
Go to recipe for a group of people.
Tommy Wilson
Have made this many times since it aired on TV years and years ago! Always my favorite to make! If you’re not afraid of carbs, I usually splurge and make GF’s bruschetta as well as an appetizer. They go so well together!!! Amazing pasta and MUST try his bruschetta, always a hit!!
Cesar Rodriguez
Best ever!
Dylan Delgado
I have made dozens of recipes from many different Foot Network shows, and almost all have been very good.  But I think of all the dishes I’ve made, this has been my favorite.  I have made it many many times over the past ten years and am sorry I haven’t reviewed sooner.  I pretty much always have a jar of the Chipotle barbecue sauce from this recipe in my refrigerator.  It makes so many things better.  But this dish is the best use of it I have ever tasted.
Mitchell Rogers
Great tasting pasta I’ve made.
Joseph Kirk
This is the first recipe I made of GF and is our absolute favorite pasta dish!!!
Nicole Ford
I have had this dish at Johnny Garlic’s in Sacramento 4 times during the last couple of months. We do not have a JG’s where I live so I gave this recipe a shot and made it exactly as directed. I used Sweet Baby Ray’s original BBQ sauce. The result was not even close to JG’s and it was not very good. The BBQ sauce taste was sweet and overpowering. Adding a ton of Parmesan helped a little. Extra Parmesan is always a must for me though. It was also way too spicy and I love spicy food. At JG’s I get the Lava Rock Shrimp as an appetizer with this dish. I will make this again but use a different BBQ sauce that isn’t as sweet and I will decrease the pepper flakes significantly or possibly eliminate the flakes altogether and add another chipotle pepper. I used just one large chipotle pepper this time. I will update with the results next time.
Heather Bailey
Had this at Johnny Garlic’s- so good! Can’t wait to make it at home!! :

 

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