Garlic Chicken Pasta
Garlic Chicken Pappardelle
This steamy, fresh pasta with pan fried garlic chicken, garden veggies and ricotta cheese is a must have on those nights when you're craving a heavy Italian dinner. The fresh tomatoes from the garden in the summer brighten it up enough to make it an ideal Summer dish when you want something hot and just can't take another salad.
Yield: Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
12 oz. Pasta of your choice (I used Pappardelle
)2 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
2 Tbsp Garlic, chopped
6 Tbsp Lemon Juice
8 Tbsp Olive Oil, divided 1/2
3 Tbsp Fresh Oregano, chopped
2 Large Tomatoes (preferably garden fresh and Heirloom), cut in chunks
1 Cup Cherry Tomatoes (preferably garden fresh and Heirloom), cut in 1/2
1 1/2 Cups Ricotta Cheese
8 Fresh Basil Leaves, Chopped
Fresh Ground Sea Salt to taste
Grated Parmesan, to sprinkle on top
DIRECTIONS
1. In a medium skillet over medium low heat cook Chicken with Garlic, Lemon Juice, 4 Tbsp Olive Oil and Oregano. Cook for about 20 mins, flipping occasionally, until browned and cooked throughout. If Garlic or Oregano starts to brown too much scoop it onto the top side of chicken while the bottom side browns. Set aside to cool.
2. In a large pan bring water to a boil for pasta (use a non-stick skillet if you have a very large one). Salt water, about 2 Tablespoons. Boil just enough water to cover pasta with about an extra inch of water above noodles. Add pasta once water is boiling and cook pasta for about 8 minutes or until pasta is al dente (slightly firm to the bite).
3. While pasta is cooking, chop chicken into bite sized pieces. Also chop Tomatoes and Basil and set aside.
4. Drain pasta in a colander, retaining about 1/8 cup of pasta water. Let pasta sit in the colander for a few minutes.
5. In the now empty large pasta skillet (or pan) on medium low heat combine 4 Tbsp Olive Oil, Tomatoes and 1-2 Tbsp Sea Salt. Cook for 3-5 minutes until tomatoes are heated through. Add Chicken, Pasta, reserved Pasta Water and Ricotta to the cooking Tomatoes. Cook for another 3-5 minutes until everything is hot and marinated together. Add Basil during last minute of cooking, enough to whither slightly (like a Spinach leaf) but not overcook.
6. Serve Hot and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
