Chicken Spaghettini with Brocolli, Pine Nuts and Sun Dried Tomatoes
by Doug M in User ContributedThis is our families favorite pasta dish. Full of different textures and flavours and also quite quick and easy.
This is our families favorite pasta dish. Full of different textures and flavours and also quite quick and easy.
Start by bring a large pot of cold water to the boil for the pasta. Add a generous amount of salt. The water should taste somewhat salty.
toast pine nuts either in a small frying pan on the stove shaking constantly or in the oven as described in the drill-down
Pour 1 cup boiling water over the sun dried tomatoes in a bowl and let soak.
Bone chicken thighs and slice into thin strips. Save bones for future stock. Crush and coursely chop the garlic and add it and the crushed chilis to the chicken and set aside.
Cut broccoli into small florets and set aside.
Grate Parmesan and cut basil into a fine chiffonade and mix together with the salt and pepper.
Once the dried tomatooes are soft cut them into stips that match the size the chicken was cut into. This helps give the dish a nice uniform look. Set the tomatoes aside.
Meanwhicle, heat the pan over medium high heat until it is ready by the water test, add the oil and turn down to medium heat.
Once the oil is heated add the chicken garlic, and chilli mixture. Do this in portions in order to not let the pan cool to quickly. Saute until the chicken is almost cooked through and the garlic is soft, about 2 minutes.
Add the sun dried tomatoes and asnd continue sauteing for another minute or so until the chicken is cooked through.
Turn heat off and let stand until the pasta and broccolli are done.
Once the water is boiling, add the pasta as described in the drill-down and cook, testing the pasta every couple of minutes until the white ring is about half way through the pasta (about 4 minutes). Add the broccoli and continue cooking until the pasta is al dente. Drain the pasta and place in a large bowl.
Toss the chicken mixture with the pasta and broccoli until will mixed. Drizzle the olive oil over top and toss again. Sprinkle the pine nuts and basil over top and serve immediately on warmed plates.
It's also possible to use sun dried tomatoes in oil. If so I use the oil from the tomatoes to do the cooking of the chicken and keep the heat down a bit more. They don't need to be soaked in this case but the rest of the recipe remains the same.