Recipe: This Tuscan Chicken Pasta dish gets a boost from lots of garlic and lemon juice

For this Tuscan-style chicken and penne pasta dish, lots of garlic and lemon juice bring an appealing flavor personality. The chicken breasts are dredged with flour and pan-fried, then later cut into diagonal slices. Once cooked the chicken is removed from the skillet and the sauce-making begins by patiently cooking the 12 garlic cloves and 3 shallots, all thinly sliced. A pinch of dried red pepper flakes come to the sauce party, along with dry white wine and chicken broth.

After cooking the penne in boiling salted water and draining, some of the cooking water is reserved for the sauce. Two cups of the sauce, along with baby arugula, Parmesan cheese, and lemon juice, are tossed with the pasta. The consistency is adjusted by adding about 1/2 cup (or less) of the reserved cooking water. Scooped into individual bowls, the mix is topped with chicken and drizzled with the remaining sauce.

Garlicy Tuscan Chicken Pasta

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

3 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed

1/4 teaspoon salt, plus salt for cooking pasta

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided use

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided use

12 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

3 shallots, thinly sliced

Pinch of dried red pepper flakes

3/4 cup dry white wine

3 cups chicken broth

1 pound penne pasta

5 ounces (5 cups) baby arugula

1 1/2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (3/4 cup), plus extra for serving

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

DIRECTIONS

1. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place 1/2 cup flour in shallow dish (I like to use a pie pan). Working with 1 piece of chicken at a time, dredge in flour, shaking off excess.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Carefully place chicken in skillet and cook until well browned on first side, 6 to 8 minutes. Flip chicken over, reduce heat to medium, and continue to cook until chicken registers 160 degrees, 6 to 8 minutes; transfer to plate and tent with aluminum foil.

3. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil, garlic, and shallots to now empty skillet and cook on medium-low heat until softened and beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Stir in pepper flakes and remaining 1 tablespoon flour; cook 30 seconds. Whisk in wine, then broth, scraping up any browned bits and smoothing out any lumps. Increase heat to medium-high, bring to a simmer and cook until sauce is slightly thickened and measures 2 1/2 cups, about 15 minutes; transfer to liquid measuring cup and cover to keep warm.

4. Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts of water to boil in large pot. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt. Cook stirring frequently, until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water. Drain and return pasta to pot. Add 2 cups sauce, arugula, Parmesan, and juice; toss until arugula slightly wilts. Adjust consistency with reserved cooking water as needed. Season with salt and pepper. Slice chicken thinly on the diagonal. Portion pasta into individual bowls, lay chicken on top and drizzle with remaining 1/2 cup sauce over chicken. Pass extra Parmesan.

Source: “The Chicken Bible” by America’s Test Kitchen (America’s Test Kitchen)

Cooking question? Contact Cathy Thomas at cathythomascooks@gmail.com