Fabulous Chicken Pasta

This is one of my favorite dishes. Check it out plus another recipe you’ve likely never tried. They’re incredibly easy, delicious and healthy.

Chicken Pasta Salmoriglio (Citrus) – for 2 (20 minutes!)

• Chicken Thighs – 3 skinless and boned thighs
• Garlic – 3 medium cloves
• Oranges – 2 medium
• Lemon – 1 medium
• Parsley – fresh only
• Oregano – 1 tbls. dry flakes
• Olive Oil
• Sea salt
• Black Pepper
• 1/3 lb. dry spaghetti or macaroni

To start this Chicken Pasta dish put a two quart pot of water on to boil.  Sprinkle the thighs with sea salt and black pepper and broil them under a high heat until crunchy brown.  Peel the two oranges and the lemon and cube them into small sections and drop into a large, deep bowl.  Chop the garlic extra fine and add to the orange and lemon mix.  Add the dry oregano, chopped parsley,  black pepper, two pinches of salt, and mix well.   When the water comes to a boil drop in 1/3 pound of spaghetti or macaroni.  I prefer lined rigatoni for this.  Remove the thighs from the broiler, cut into bite sized sections, and add to the citrus mix along with the pan juices and stir well. When the spaghetti is still extra firm, AL DENTE, drain it well and add it to the citrus and thigh mix.  Toss it well like you’re tossing a salad and let sit for a minute while you set the table.  Pecorino Romano tastes better than Parmigiano-Reggiano with this dish.

Rigatoni With Fresh Mushroom Marsala Sauce – for 2 (20 minutes!)

• Brown Crimini Mushrooms – 1 1/2 lbs. chopped into quarters
• Onion – one large white onion
• Parsley – small handful
• Salted Butter – 4oz., 1/2 stick
• Black Pepper – 1/2 tbls.
• Marsala Wine – 1/2 cup
• Light Cream – 1/2 cup
• Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1/2 lb. dry rigatoni

This dish is so easy you won’t need the whole twenty minutes. Cook the rigatoni, in this case, EXTRA al dente, and drain.  You will want it extra firm as you will be finishing it “in padella” or in the pan with the mushrooms which will have considerable fluid.  Save a cup of the cooking water. Chop the large white onion very fine.  Chop the small handful of parsley very fine.  Sauté the onion in 1/2 stick, or 4oz. of salted butter until it is soft but not brown over a high heat.  Add the coarsely quarter chopped mushrooms to the onion and stir for a minute.  Add the parsley, black pepper, and stir. Add the Marsala wine and stir for a couple of minutes until the alcohol is evaporated.  Don’t overcook the mushrooms.  Do this all over a high heat. Add the light cream or milk to the mushrooms and stir for a minute.  Drop the rigatoni into the mix and toss and stir over a medium heat until all the fluid is absorbed, leaving just a creamy mixture which is not too thick, still dripping off.  If it is too thick add a couple of tablespoons of the used water.  Just before serving add 4 tablespoons of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and stir.

There you have it – Magnifico Chicken Pasta and Rigatoni With Fresh Mushroom Marsala Sauce !