Fideos (Pasta) with Chicken and Greens
Infuse more flavour into your supper by sauteing the pasta and then cooking it within the tomato sauce of this Spanish-originated recipe. The sauce will be richer and thicker and the pasta will be noticeably tastier. It also looks gorgeous and has the added advantage of being a dinner-in-a-pan, so the cleanup is quick.
Add chilis or spices to season the sauce, according to your taste. The original version of this dish, found on Bon Appetit, includes anchovies, which will add another distinctive flavour.
More chicken options: French Chicken Tarragon, Mediterranean Chicken Salad, Chicken Marbella, Curried Chicken Salad with Raisins, Greek Lemon Oregano Chicken, Chicken Marsala, Roast Chicken with Bread and Greens, Buttermilk Chicken, Oven Roasted Chicken Shawarma
Fideos (Pasta) with Chicken and Greens
Ingredients
2½ tsp. Kosher salt, divided, plus more
Pepper
1/4 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon paprika, divided
2 lb. skin-on, bone-in chicken pieces
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
8 ounces spaghetti (preferably thin spaghetti)
2 medium onions, minced or grated
6 garlic cloves, minced or grated
1/4 cup tomato paste
Chili peppers or Tabasco, other hot sauce or seasoning such as basil and oregano, to taste (optional)
1 bunch spinach or other greens (optional)
1 lemon, cut in half
2 cups water
1/3 cup green olives, pitted
Method
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Pat the chicken pieces dry. Sprinkle the chicken pieces with 2 teaspoons of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of paprika and pepper.
Heat 2-3 tablespoons olive oil to medium heat in a large Dutch oven or cast iron pan. Arrange the chicken pieces in the pan and cook, undisturbed, on medium until the chicken has rendered some fat and the skin is golden brown, 10-12 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and reserve on a plate, with the skin side up. Retain the schmaltzy fat in the skillet.
While the chicken sears, break the spaghetti into 1/2 - 1 inch pieces into a bowl. Scrunch with your hands and break up further, if desired. After the chicken is cooked, add the broken pasta to the skillet and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook the pasta in the fat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until golden brown, 2-3 minutes. Turn the heat off, tilt the skillet away from you so the fat pools at one end, then use a slotted spoon to scoop out the toasted pasta and transfer it back to a bowl, leaving as much fat in the skillet as possible.
Chop or grate the onions. Mince or grate the garlic.
Heat the fat to medium-low. Pour in 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil, then add the onion, garlic, tomato paste and red peppers or other seasonings desired. Cook, stirring often until the mixture is softened, jammy and dark red, about 10-12 minutes. Reduce the heat if the onions and garlic are becoming too brown too quickly. This mixture will absorb into the spaghetti and make the taste deep and rich, so pay attention.
Add the remaining paprika and cook about 30 seconds. Squeeze in the juice of 1/2 lemon, scraping up any darkened bits at the bottom of the pan. Add 2 cups water, increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Add the spinach or other greens and cook, tossing occasionally, until wilted, about 2 minutes.
Stir in the olives and the toasted pasta, along with any fat still clinging to the bowl. Stir to combine, season with salt and spread the sauce in an even layer in the skillet.
Arrange the chicken on top of the sauce, with the skin side up. Press the chicken gently into the sauce while leaving the skin exposed. If needed, add just enough water to barely reach the top of the pasta. Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over the pasta and chicken.
Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the chicken is cooked through, the pasta has absorbed the cooking liquid - about 25 minutes. The top and edges of the pasta should have some crunchy bits. There should be a bit of fat sizzling on the top of the skillet.
Remove the skillet from the oven and let rest 10- 15 minutes. Cut the remaining 1/2 lemon into wedges and serve alongside.
Infuse more flavour into your supper by sauteing the pasta and then cooking it within the tomato sauce of this Spanish-originated recipe. The sauce will be richer and thicker and the pasta will be noticeably tastier. It also looks gorgeous and has the added advantage of being a dinner-in-a-pan, so the cleanup is quick.
Add chilis or spices to season the sauce, according to your taste. The original version of this dish, found on Bon Appetit, includes anchovies, which will add another distinctive flavour.
More chicken options: French Chicken Tarragon, Mediterranean Chicken Salad, Chicken Marbella, Curried Chicken Salad with Raisins, Greek Lemon Oregano Chicken, Chicken Marsala, Roast Chicken with Bread and Greens, Buttermilk Chicken, Oven Roasted Chicken Shawarma
Fideos (Pasta) with Chicken and Greens
Ingredients
2½ tsp. Kosher salt, divided, plus more
Pepper
1/4 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon paprika, divided
2 lb. skin-on, bone-in chicken pieces
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
8 ounces spaghetti (preferably thin spaghetti)
2 medium onions, minced or grated
6 garlic cloves, minced or grated
1/4 cup tomato paste
Chili peppers or Tabasco, other hot sauce or seasoning such as basil and oregano, to taste (optional)
1 bunch spinach or other greens (optional)
1 lemon, cut in half
2 cups water
1/3 cup green olives, pitted
Method
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Pat the chicken pieces dry. Sprinkle the chicken pieces with 2 teaspoons of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of paprika and pepper.
Heat 2-3 tablespoons olive oil to medium heat in a large Dutch oven or cast iron pan. Arrange the chicken pieces in the pan and cook, undisturbed, on medium until the chicken has rendered some fat and the skin is golden brown, 10-12 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and reserve on a plate, with the skin side up. Retain the schmaltzy fat in the skillet.
While the chicken sears, break the spaghetti into 1/2 - 1 inch pieces into a bowl. Scrunch with your hands and break up further, if desired. After the chicken is cooked, add the broken pasta to the skillet and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook the pasta in the fat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until golden brown, 2-3 minutes. Turn the heat off, tilt the skillet away from you so the fat pools at one end, then use a slotted spoon to scoop out the toasted pasta and transfer it back to a bowl, leaving as much fat in the skillet as possible.
Chop or grate the onions. Mince or grate the garlic.
Heat the fat to medium-low. Pour in 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil, then add the onion, garlic, tomato paste and red peppers or other seasonings desired. Cook, stirring often until the mixture is softened, jammy and dark red, about 10-12 minutes. Reduce the heat if the onions and garlic are becoming too brown too quickly. This mixture will absorb into the spaghetti and make the taste deep and rich, so pay attention.
Add the remaining paprika and cook about 30 seconds. Squeeze in the juice of 1/2 lemon, scraping up any darkened bits at the bottom of the pan. Add 2 cups water, increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Add the spinach or other greens and cook, tossing occasionally, until wilted, about 2 minutes.
Stir in the olives and the toasted pasta, along with any fat still clinging to the bowl. Stir to combine, season with salt and spread the sauce in an even layer in the skillet.
Arrange the chicken on top of the sauce, with the skin side up. Press the chicken gently into the sauce while leaving the skin exposed. If needed, add just enough water to barely reach the top of the pasta. Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over the pasta and chicken.
Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the chicken is cooked through, the pasta has absorbed the cooking liquid - about 25 minutes. The top and edges of the pasta should have some crunchy bits. There should be a bit of fat sizzling on the top of the skillet.
Remove the skillet from the oven and let rest 10- 15 minutes. Cut the remaining 1/2 lemon into wedges and serve alongside.