Coat the chicken. Toss the sliced chicken with 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Leave it for 10 minutes while you chop the vegetables — this short rest lets the spices actually penetrate the meat rather than sitting on the surface.

Sear the chicken. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook for 3–4 minutes per side until the edges turn golden and the centre is opaque white with no pink. You should hear a steady sizzle, not a violent spitting. Remove to a plate.

Soften the aromatics. Lower the heat to medium, add the butter, then the onion and pepper. Cook for 4–5 minutes until the onion turns translucent and glossy and the pepper softens slightly. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds — it should smell sweet and nutty, never sharp or bitter.

Bloom the spices. Stir in the remaining Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, and thyme. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the spices darken slightly and smell warm and toasty. This step is what separates a flat sauce from a deeply flavoured one.

Build the sauce. Pour in the chicken stock and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to lift up all the browned bits. Bring to a gentle simmer.

Cook the pasta in the sauce. Add the dry pasta, stir well, and cover. Simmer for 12–14 minutes, stirring every 3 minutes so nothing sticks. The pasta should be al dente and the liquid reduced by roughly half.

Make it creamy. Reduce the heat to low, pour in the cream, and stir in the cheese. The sauce will thicken noticeably within a minute and should coat the back of a spoon. Return the chicken and any resting juices to the pan.

Finish and rest. Taste, season, and scatter over the parsley. Take the pan off the heat and let it sit for 3 minutes before serving — the sauce tightens beautifully in that time.