How to Make Chicken Pasta
Chicken pasta, an unlikely combination for me (and very un-Italian!) but let me tell you, it left me wanting more. My version of chicken with pasta is hearty yet delicate and with an authentic Italian tomato passata, it is my way of making this dish the way an Italian would. Let me know if it passes the test – have I gone too far? Or would my Nonna be impressed? Either way this dish is not a classic but I have to admit, it’s scrumptious. Try it for yourself and let me know what you think!
How to Make Chicken Pasta Video Recipe:
How to Make Chicken Pasta Like an Italian
Vincenzo’s Top Tips To Make Chicken Pasta
Fresh leaves are a must!
If your passata does not have basil in it, you can add some fresh leaves at this point for extra flavour.
Mix it up gently
You may find the chicken needs slightly longer before it starts falling apart (which is the key to this sauce!). Keep gently mixing it with the wooden spoon and once it becomes “pulled”, it is ready. You can also use a fork or another utensil to move the chicken around and help any larger chunks break apart.
Cook it slowly
The chicken should become tender so turn the heat down if you need to and to allow it
Chicken Pasta
Print Recipe
Equipment
- Large fry pan
- Large pots
- wooden spoon
- knife
- Chopping-board
- Tablespoon
- Mug
- Hand sieve or colander
- Large serving spoon
Ingredients
- 6 Chicken thighs, 800g/28.2oz
- ½ Brown onion, chopped
- 1 Carrot, chopped
- 1 Celery stick, chopped
- 300 grams Penne pasta, 10.5oz
- 1 Rosemary stem
- 2 bottles Homemade Italian passata
- 1 glass White wine
- 1 L Vegetable stock, 4 cups. Organic, no added salt OR homemade
- Extra virgin olive oil, EVOO
- Salt & Pepper
- Handful fresh parsley, chopped
- Pecorino Romano
Instructions
- Put a large pot on your stove at a medium heat and add 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil.
- Once the oil starts to warm up, add carrot, onion and celery to your pot for the chicken pasta sauce soffritto/base.
- Cook the soffritto for approx. 10 minutes or until tender, stirring it with a wooden spoon every so often.
- Next, add your chicken thighs to the pot. Brown these for a few minutes on each side before adding the fresh rosemary.
- Add the whole stem or pull off the leaves and sprinkle them all over the chicken.
- Pour one glass of wine into the pot and leave to infuse, turning the chicken thighs over once again to make sure both sides are well cooked and full of flavour.
- Allow the wine to slowly evaporate and move the chicken pieces around to make sure they don’t stick to the bottom of the pot.
- The chicken should cook slowly so turn the heat down if you need to and allow it to become tender.
- Once the wine has evaporated, add the two bottles of tomato passata and mix again.
- Add a sprinkle of both salt and pepper at this point, before adding (approx.) 200ml /0.8 cups stock.
- Leave this to cook for approx. 2hrs on a medium-low heat. If you see the liquid reduce too much, simply add more stock.
- Stir every now and then using a wooden spoon and keep the lid on while cooking.
- After 20- 30 minutes, add another 200ml/0.8 cups stock to your chicken pasta sauce and stir through.
- Repeat step 12 after another 20-30 minutes and leave to cook for another 50 minutes to 1hr.
- When the chicken pasta sauce is almost ready, put a large pot filled with water on the stove to boil – ready to cook your pasta!
- Once the water has boiled, add a tablespoon of rock salt and allow it to dissolve.
- Add the penne pasta to the water and cook according to packet instructions (making sure the sauce is ready at the same time the pasta has finished cooking).
- A couple of minutes before the pasta is cooked, put a large frying pan on your stove at a medium heat and add a few tablespoons of EVOO along with four large scoops of chicken pasta sauce (or more depending on how much pasta you are cooking).
- Leave the rest of the sauce to the side (it makes quite a large batch) and once cooled, add it to a container (or a few!) and put in the freezer.
- Allow the sauce to spread out on the pan and cook it gently for another few minutes, breaking down any more large pieces of chicken using a wooden spoon.
- Once the pasta is ready scoop up a mug full of pasta water and leave it to the side before straining the pasta and adding it to the pan.
- Combine the pasta and chicken ragu along with half a mug of pasta water and mix the pasta through gently using a wooden spoon, making sure it is completely smothered!
- Once it has absorbed well, remove it from the pan and add a couple of tablespoons of pecorino romano then toss it through.
- E ora si mangia, Vincenzo’s Plate….Enjoy!
Video
How to serve Chicken Pasta
Add a portion of the chicken pasta to a plate and scoop up some extra ragu. Sprinkle a tablespoon of freshly chopped parsley along with some extra pecorino romano cheese and once you taste this you might just be surprised how incredible it is…I know I was!
Now you be the judge, did I make chicken pasta good enough for an Italian? Stay tuned for when my Nonna gets to taste it, will she love it or hate it?
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