This recipe makes me melt. Actually, brings a tear to my eye. I'm not exaggerating. It happens when a dish is so comforting, almost sings to my soul. And, why not? Paprika-dusted seared chicken cooked in lemon, butter and cream with some of my favourite vegetables. Topped with some fresh olive-oil flavoured Tagliatelle. Sigh. The lemon and butter accents along with the paprika certainly are imprinted on your memory after the first bite. It's a great dish to make for gatherings or even to make as leftovers for the next few days. Whatever you pick, you can thank me later :)
I recommend using chicken thighs for this dish as it's more juicy and succulent, however chicken breasts work equally well.
Ingredients
250 grams fresh Tagliatelle (or any pasta of your choice; pick the quantity you want. Here I picked half the amount in the packet pictured below)
500 grams chicken thigh (bone-in and skin on; is roughly 6 pieces)
1 tablespoon paprika powder
Pepper & Salt, for seasoning
4 tablespoons butter, divided
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup cream
1/2 teaspoon dried mixed herbs (thyme, oregano, rosemary - or any one too)
1/2 chicken stock cube (mixed in 3/4 cup water)
5 mushrooms, cut in halves
1/4 each bell peppers (red or yellow), cut in squares
1/2 lime, juice squeezed
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Baby spinach, a handful, chopped
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200 degree Celsius.
2. Preparing the pasta: Bring enough water to boil, add some olive oil and season the water with salt (don't be afraid to add a little extra salt). Add the fresh Tagliatelle and boil until al dente (as the Italians say which means just enough to have 'a bite' in your pasta).
3. In a bowl, place the rinsed chicken thighs and season with paprika, salt and pepper, to taste.
4. Place a saucepan on low heat and melt 2 tablespoons butter. Once melted, add the chicken (skin-side down) and sear the chicken on both sides till golden brown. Remove the seared chicken and set aside into a deep-bottom baking dish (retain the leftover juices and don't worry about cooking the chicken completely as that will be taken care in the steps ahead!).
5. In the same saucepan, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter along with the garlic. Stir until the garlic softens slightly and after a minute or so, add in the cream, chicken stock, dried herbs, mushrooms and bell peppers; stir well. Boil this cream mix for a few minutes until the mixture has reduced and thickened a bit. Turn the heat off and stir in the lemon juice and grated Parmesan cheese. Finally, stir in the baby spinach. Check for seasoning and adjust the salt accordingly.
6. Pour the cream mix over the chicken and place into the preheated over for about 30 minutes. Serve warm with the pasta on the side. Bon Appetite!
