Sicilian Pasta with Chicken, Cherry Tomatoes and Capers
A modern take on a traditional Sicilian pasta dish. This recipe takes all the wonderful ingredients that distinguish the culinary tradition of the island from its mainland counterpart, like fresh tomatoes, capers, olives, and wild fennel (or dill), and gives them a twist with the simple addition of some chicken bites. This way, you have all the great Sicilian flavors in a dish that also features some lean protein.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 6 ounces dried linguine or other long pasta variety
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 8 ounces skinless boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
- 2 tablespoons white wine
- 10 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 tablespoon black olives
- 1/2 tablespoon capers
- 1 teaspoon pine nuts
- 2 to 3 wild fennel fronds, cut into ¼-inch pieces (or 1 bunch of dill)
- salt, to taste
- freshly grated parmesan cheese, optional
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once it starts boiling, add the salt and pasta.
- In the meantime, drizzle the olive oil into a large frying pan. Over medium-high heat, cook the chicken, garlic, and crushed red pepper, if using , stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, until the chicken is browned and crisping at the edges. Then, remove the chicken from the skillet and set it aside.
- Add the wine and deglaze the pan, scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the pan with a spoon. Simmer the wine for a minute to allow the alcohol to evaporate.
- Add the cherry tomatoes, olives, capers, pine nuts, and fennel fronds (or dill). Season the mixture with the salt and cook it for 8 to 10 minutes. If the sauce becomes too dry, add a ladleful of pasta water. When the pasta is almost ready, put the chicken back into the pan.
- Drain the pasta and toss it together with the sauce for 2 minutes, until the remaining liquid is absorbed.
- Serve as is or with the Parmesan on top, if using.
Nutrition
Calories: 623kcalCarbohydrates: 71gProtein: 37gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 1438mgPotassium: 952mgFiber: 4gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 859IUVitamin C: 35mgCalcium: 49mgIron: 3mg
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