Chicken Linguini with Tequila-Lime Cream Sauce

To start his dish, prepare your entire mise en place. Slice the onions and peppers into thin strips, and slice the mushrooms. Mince the garlic and jalapeno. Zest and juice both limes. Measure the tequila and cream.

Slice the chicken tenders into bite-sized pieces and set aside.

To start, preheat your oven to the lowest setting and warm 4 pasta bowls. Bring a large pot of cold, well-salted water to a boil. Grate the parmesan cheese and set aside.

Heat a stainless steel pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 teaspoons of the olive oil and sauté the chicken tenders. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, and let the chicken lightly brown on each side until it is just cooked through. Remove from the pan, transfer to a plate and loosely tent with foil.

Add another 2 teaspoons of olive oil to the pan and heat. Sprinkle in the red onion, a pinch of salt, and sauté for a couple of minutes until it starts to soften. Add the mushrooms, sliced peppers, and another pinch of salt and continue to cook until everything is softened.

Start to cook the pasta.

Add the minced garlic and jalapeño. Cook, while stirring, for about 1 minute to release the flavors (be careful not to burn the garlic). Remove the pan from the heat and deglaze with the tequila. Return to the heat and let it cook out until it mostly evaporates. Add the lime juice and zest and let it reduce for a couple of minutes. Turn down heat down to medium-low and let it simmer gently.

Return the chicken to the pan. Pour in the cream slowly and continuously stir to combine. Let the sauce simmer gently to thicken. Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired.

Once the pasta is al dente, remove it from the water and place directly into the saucepan. Continue to cook the pasta in the sauce for a minute or so longer. If the sauce is too thick, you can add a little of the hot pasta water to loosen it.

Quickly chop the cilantro. Divide the pasta into the warmed bowls, topping each with a drizzle of olive oil, parmesan cheese, and cilantro.