Tuscan Chicken Linguine

Pan seared chicken breast served on top of creamy ribbons of pasta, this is a dinner worth every effort.

The chicken is coated with spices and cooked in butter so that it remains juicy and flavourful. And the pasta is coated in a creamy tomato-based sauce that’s laced with herbs and spices.

In our recipe we used Nuh’un Ankara Lingune pasta, which we got from one of our partners STO (State Trading Organisation). The linguine cooks evenly and holds the creamy sauce really well.

Serves: 2-3

Ingredients:

For the chicken

• 1 large chicken breast (340g)
• 1 tsp. chilli powder
• ½ tsp. cumin powder
• ½ tsp. black pepper powder
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. mixed dried herbs
• 2 grated garlic cloves
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. butter

For the linguine

• 6 cups water
• 2 tsp. salt
• 250g Nuh’un Ankara Lingune

For the sauce

• 1 medium onion
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 medium tomatoes
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 5 tbsp. tomato paste
• 200 ml cooking cream
• 1 tsp. chilli flakes
• ½ tsp. chilli powder
• 1 tsp. mixed herbs
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese
• ½ cup pasta cooking water

Ingredients:

1. Cut the chicken breast in half lengthwise.
2. In a plate, mix the chili powder, cumin powder, black pepper powder, salt, mixed herbs.
3. Rub olive oil on the chicken breast along with the grated garlic. Then place the chicken on the plate with the spices and coat well on each side.
4. Heat the butter in a pan and fry the chicken breast on medium low heat for 10 minutes or until cooked, and then remove from the pan and set aside to rest.
5. Add water and 2 tsp. salt to a large pot and bring to a boil. Add Nuh’un Ankara Lingune and cook for 14 minutes or until cooked.
6. Reserve 1/2 cup of linguine cooking water for later use and then drain the linguine and set it aside.
7. Dice the onions, chop the garlic and cut the tomatoes into bite size pieces.
8. Melt butter in a large pan. Add onion and garlic, and stir fry on medium heat for 2 minutes.
9. Add tomato paste and tomatoes and sauté for 2 minutes.
10. Add the cooking cream, chili flakes, chili powder, mixed herbs, salt and parmesan, pasta water and cook for 2 minutes.
11. Add the cooked linguine, combine well and cook for one or two minutes.
12. Slice the chicken breast into strips.
13. Plate the cooked linguine, place a chicken breast portion on top and serve.