The Pasta Dish for the Perfect Occasion
When you want to go the extra mile for date night.
Cookware & Appliances Needed
- Stovetop or Hot plate
- 8 quart sauté pan
- 10 inch pan
- Oven
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Cutting board
- Knife of choice
- Medium mixing bowl or Gallon freezer bag
- Tongs
Ingredients for chicken marinade
- Chicken breast – 2-2.5 lbs (or 4)
- Ground paprika – 1 TSP
- Chili powder – 1 TSP
- Garlic powder – 1 TBSP
- Ground black pepper – 1/2 TSP
- Ground cumin – 1/4 TSP
- Old Bay seasoning – 1 TSP
- Oregano – 1 TSP
- Olive oil – 1/4 cup
Ingredients for pasta sauce
- Bacon, thick cut – 4 strips
- Roma tomatoes – 2 whole
- Garlic cloves – 2 whole
- Paprika – 2 TBSP
- Chili powder – 1 TSP
- Cumin – 1/4 TSP
- Oregano – 1 TSP
- Old Bay seasoning – 1/2 TSP
- Red chili flakes – 1 TBSP
- Salt – 1 TSP
- Heavy cream – 1 cup
- Starchy water – 1/2 cup
- Angel hair pasta – 16 oz
- Parmesan cheese, shredded – 1 cup
- Lemon juice, freshly squeezed – 1/2 whole
Instructions
MARINATE
- Wash and dry the chicken breasts.
- Transfer poultry to either a medium mixing bowl or a gallon freezer bag.
- In your container of choice, add olive oil, ground paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, Old Bay seasoning, ground cumin, ground black pepper, oregano, and salt.
- Ensure chicken breasts are evenly coated with the seasoning and marinate for a minimum of 4 hours.
PREP
- Cook the angel hair pasta per manufacturer’s guidelines. Once done, save 1/2 cup of the starchy water for the pasta sauce.
- Dice the Roma tomatoes and set aside.
- Peel the garlic clove and cut off the dry stem ends. Then mince and set aside.
- Cook the bacon strips until golden and crispy. Once cooled, crumble into small bits. Filter the bacon grease and save for later use.
LET’S COOK
- In a 10 inch pan, over medium heat, add neutral cooking oil and pan sear the chicken breast until slightly blackened on both sides.
- Transfer chicken breast to a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake at 400°F for 20-25 minutes or until cooked. Once cooked, allow it to rest. When cooled, slice into 1/3″ thick sections.
- While the chicken is in the oven, prepare the pasta sauce.
- In a 8 quart sauté pan, over medium low heat, add the bacon grease.
- Add the minced garlic and once fragrant, add the Roma tomatoes and stir.
- Then add the crumbled bacon bits, ground paprika, chili powder, Old Bay seasoning, ground cumin, oregano, red chili flakes, and salt. Stir.
- Once the tomatoes are slightly softened, add the heavy cream and starchy water. Give a good stir and add the cooked angel hair pasta.
- Add the shredded parmesan cheese and toss until well combined. Then turn off the heat and add the freshly squeezed lemon juice for a zesty finish. If you want to thicken the pasta sauce some more, you can either add more cheese or place a lid slightly open over the pan and allow the sauce to reduce.
- Assemble your dish by plating your pasta and placing your sliced chicken on the top. Optional: garnish with diced Roma tomatoes.
- Enjoy!
