The nice thing about a dish like this is you can add everything but the kitchen sink. Leave the chicken out, if that’s what you prefer, or use shrimp in its place. Incorporate broccoli or spinach. Consider adding zucchini. Keep it colorful, though, whatever you do. Have some capers on hand? Toss some in (just rinse them under cold water and adjust the amount of salt you use accordingly). Fresh herbs like basil work particularly well here. Lemon basil—if you can get your hands on it—is even better.
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
- Kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 4 teaspoons)
- 2 shallots, minced (about 1/4 cup)
- 2 red bell peppers, sliced (about 2 cups)
- 1/3 cup dry sherry
- 10 ounces heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons juice and 2 teaspoons grated zest from 1 to 2 lemons
- 1 pound chicken breast, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 2 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves
DIRECTIONS
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Heat olive oil in a large straight-sided sauté pan over medium heat until shimmering. Add garlic and shallots and cook, stirring often, until nearly softened and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add peppers and continue to cook until softened, another 2 minutes.
- Add sherry, raise heat to medium-high and scrape any bits from the bottom of the pan using a wooden spoon. Let simmer for 1 minute, then add heavy cream, lemon juice, lemon zest, and chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Cook pasta until just barely under cooked (about 1 minute less than package directions). Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking water. Add drained pasta to sauce. Return sauce to high heat. Swirl in butter and cook, stirring constantly, until pasta is fully cooked and sauce has thickened slightly. Adjust seasonings to taste and adjust sauce thickness with reserved pasta water. Toss with Parmesan and basil and serve immediately.
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