Monday Nights are usually Pasta Nights.What better way to chase away Monday blues, than an easy one pot dinner. I am sure there are numerous easy breezy such dinners, but my mind, always swings towards Pasta. Maybe a mental block, or maybe just love for Pasta. But there's something I always try and do whenever I am making some Pasta. I try and add some Protein or the other. Maybe its the Bong in me, which initiates me to do that. Dinner should have a non-vegetarian element in it. Hubby is also super happy, when he can locate some bacon bits, some prawns, or maybe some chicken. I try and mix and match the proteins to the more popular pasta recipes, and thus creating a hybrid dish almost. Thus was born Pasta Puttanseca with Chicken.
Although Pasta Puttanesca traditionally has some anchovies in it, but I decided on skipping that part and adding chicken. Why , you might ask? Well, for starters, I had to rush to the store after my evening classes, if I had included Anchovies.I had no energy of going to the grocers to pick up the bottle. The Pasta Nazi might be on my lookout for flouting such a cardinal rule in making Pasta Puttanesca. Its a flavor compromise, they would scream. But who cares, its just my take on a classic dish.It made for a wholesome dinner.The man and me were super happy and Monday night did not seem to be Blue after all.So mission accomplished.
I have a love for Olives. I love to bite into them, be it in my dry martini, or as an appetizer or in some salad or the other. So I have a special place in my heart for any dish which has an overload of Olives. No wonder Pasta Puttanesca gets made so often in our household. Throw in some olives, some capers, load up on the Parmesan cheese, and even some dry chili flakes. Mundane Monday Pasta flies to great heights. Its such a colorful plate, and everyone is happy just at the sight of it. The Olives add a nice texture to the whole dish. The Pasta should be just rightly cooked, with a bite to it. The Olives add a nice crunch and tomatoes are so velvety in the sauce. I am so in pasta heaven now !
PASTA PUTTANSECA WITH CHICKEN:
Ingredients:
For the Chicken:
Chicken: 1/2 lb: Cubed
Garlic: 2 tbsp: Minced:
Dry Oregano: 1 tsp
Salt: To taste
Butter: 1 tbsp
Black Pepper: 2 tsp
Chicken stock: 1/4 cup
For the Pasta:
Spaghetti: 8 ounces
Red Onion: 1/2: Sliced
Olive Oil: 2 tbsp
Butter: 1 tbsp
Chopped Tomatoes or even Canned Tomatoes: 1 1/2 - 2 cups
Garlic Cloves: 3: Minced
Pitted Olives: 1/2 cup
Parmesan Cheese: rated: 1/4 cup
Chicken Stock: 1/2 cup-3/4 cup
Black pepper: 1 tsp
For Garnish:
Parmesan Cheese
Red Chili Flakes
Procedure:
Cook the pasta according to package instructions or al dente(so that they have a bite to them). Keep aside.
For cooking the chicken, melt the butter in a pan, and add in the garlic. Once the garlic starts getting, aromatic, add in the cubed chicken, salt, pepper and dried oregano. Fry the chicken for some time, till you can see that the chicken cubes have started to change color. Add in the chicken stock and braise the chicken till they are cooked through. Keep aside.
In another large non stick pan, add in the olive oil and the butter.
Once the butter has melted, add in the sliced red onions.
Once the garlic is aromatic, then add in the chopped tomatoes and mix well. Cover and cook till the tomatoes get a little soft and start to fall apart. Then add in the olives. Mix well. I had halved the olives before I added them to the pan, you could also roughly crush them. If you are adding capers, then add them now.
Add in the chicken stock, cooked chicken, salt, pepper and cook it down till the sauce is reduced. Check for seasonings.
Add in the pasta and use a pair of tongs to mix everything well.
Mix in the Parmesan Cheese and serve hot.
For serving, you could also add in some more Parmesan cheese right onto your plate, along with some red chili flakes for some kick.
Bon Appetit !!!
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