recipe – chicken, tomato, basil sexy pasta

I think everyone needs a fancy-ass, elaborate-looking recipe in their repertoire. Even more so when it’s easy as fuck to make. And I gotchu guys! Most of these ingredients are things you should already have on hand, and if not, super easy and cheap to get on your way home to woo your impending dinner guest.

Yeah, that’s right – I’m implying this will be your solid “date night” dinner option. Ask your lady or man friend over this weekend, and prepare this dish for them before they get there. Guaranteeing that the kitchen won’t be the only steamy thing that night.

Think: lightly sauteed chicken breasts with vibrant vegetables in a creamy, yet light, cheesy sauce surrounded in thick pasta. The innuendos are rampant, I know.

Believe it or not, this was all cut from one large chicken breast. Whatever size or shape chicken you get, just make sure the slices are even in width. Priority here is cooking the chicken evenly, because you definitely don’t want your date getting salmonella.

With the residual chicken fat, cook the onions, and then the tomatoes. People love colorful food, and you are doing just that.

The tomatoes should cook until you see the sugars starting to form. Only then, add the garlic and parsley, and stir just for a minute more.

Now comes the fancy cooking part that’ll blow your date’s mind once you tell them how you made it. Assess how much fat you have in your pan. I thought I had here, in the left photo, less than 1/3 cup. So I added more oil (or you can use butter) to make that minimum cap. Now, add 1/3 cup flour to the pan on medium and continuously stir.

I want to let you know that 1/3 cup is not a random amount I came up with – it is a normal amount (I’ve personally found) to make a roux with for 1 pound of pasta. Note: Be sure to use the word “roux” when explaining to your date how you made this. Just sounds fancy.

Now, slowly by slowly add more chicken stock to your roux. You really need to pay attention to only this part of the recipe, because you do NOT want pockets of flour in your sauce. Stir like there’s no tomorrow, and add liquid by like half a cup at a time. Only once mixed in, then you add more liquid. Your date will be really appreciate not eating wads of clumpy flour, trust me.

Once the sauce is thinned out, but still glorious, throw it in your fettuccine and relish in your masterpiece.

Make sure to chop up these beautiful chicken pieces into presentable decorations for your pasta once served. It’ll look like a restaurant served it.

Looks fancy as fuck right? Enough to do your thang? Hopefully. If my food tips didn’t help you, then the rest is all your fault bud.

Easy, flavorful, and sexy – just like your date I presume 😉

 

—INGREDIENTS—

• 1 lb chicken breast sliced thinly and evenly
• 1 lb fettuccine
• 1 medium onion or half large onion
• 4 cloves garlic
• 3 tomatoes
• 2+ cups of chicken broth
• Handful bunch of oregano
• Handful bunch of basil leaves
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder

—DIRECTIONS—

1. If buying a large chicken cutlet like I did, thinly slice off segments (can be different lengths), just as long as the thickness is about the same all the way through. Season both sides with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
2. In a large boiling pot of water, add the fettuccine and cook according to directions.
3. Separately, in a large skillet, heat enough oil to coat the bottom on medium-high heat. Once hot, cook chicken each side for about 5 minutes or until browned and cooked through. Remove from pan.
4. In the same pan with with the residual fat, cook the chopped onions on medium heat. Continue to stir onions around for about 5 or more minutes, until slightly translucent.
5. Add chopped tomatoes to the same pan, and continue to stir for another 5 minutes until they start turning a deeper brown color. You should see some moisture forming; that’s the sugars surfacing.
6. Add the chopped parsley and garlic and stir for just a minute.
7. By this point, the pasta should have been cooked and you should have set it to the side in a strainer. Throw all drained pasta back into the pot, so we can set to the side. Throw half the tomato mixture on top of the pasta to make sure it doesn’t stick.
8. With the remaining tomato mixture, assess the pan to make sure there’s about 1/3 fat in the pan. If not, add some oil or butter to equal it. Once hot, add 1/3 cup flour, and mix vigorously.
9. Continue to mix the tomato/fat and flour until a lump forms. Cook for a few minutes more to make sure that there is no flour taste.
10. Add chicken broth very slowly, half a cup at a time. Once mixed thoroughly, only then add more. Do this until 3 cups are compete. Continue stirring.
11. Chop basil and add into mixture.
12. Decide if more liquid is needed, or if not, mix sauce with the pasta. From there, stir with chopped parsley and the cooked chicken.

 

—-AMOUNT—

Makes about 6 servings.