Cajun Shrimp Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

For the Shrimp 

• 1/2-pound shrimp fresh or frozen (thawed) 
• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning 
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 

For the Mac and Cheese 

• 2 cups elbow noodles, see notes* 
• 2 cups chicken stock 
• 1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning  
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 2 tablespoons butter 
• 1/2 cup white cheddar cheese 
• 1/2 cup pepper jack cheese 
• 1/4 cup half and half 
• 1/4 cup crème fraîche 

Directions

1. First get your shrimp marinating by combining all the ingredients for the shrimp in a medium bowl. Mix well so that the shrimp are evenly coated and set aside. 
2. In the pot of your pressure cooker add chicken stock, cajun seasoning, garlic powder, salt and butter and give it a little stir to make sure it's evenly distributed. Pour in your noodles and press down gently so they are covered by the chicken stock, DO NOT STIR. 
3. Click the lid of your pressure cooker in place and make sure the venting nozzle is set to 'SEALING'. Press the "Pressure Cook" button and set the time to 4 minutes. 
4. While the noodles are cooking, cook the shrimp. In a large non-stick skillet over medium heat, add your shrimp and cook for about 1 1/2 minutes on each side. Remove them from the skillet and place on a plate. 
5. Once the pressure cooker has counted back from 4 and beeped, you will want to let it naturally release for 6 minutes. When 6 minutes pass, go ahead and release the rest of the pressure manually by turning the venting nozzle to 'VENTING'. 
6. Remove the lid and give the noodles a stir to break them up a little. Add the white cheddar, stir; add the half and half, stir; add the pepper jack, stir; and lastly add the crème fraîche and stir everything until melted and well combined. Stir in your shrimp and you are done! 

Notes

If you want to use other noodles, just use this rule for cooking time – HALF whatever the box says. That’s the general rule for pressure cooking noodles. So, if the box says 10 minutes until al dente, you’ll want to set your pressure cooker to 5 minutes. I would also still natural release for around 6 minutes no matter what noodle you are using. 

Serves: 6