Sicilian Chicken Pasta with a balsamic - red wine reduction. Dazzle your dinner guests and be the gourmet cook you've always wanted to be!

Chef Dave's Sicilian Chicken Pasta takes advantage of the fragrant, savory flavors that are so tantalizing in the Italian appetizer Caponata: (recipe found under Antipasti heading on this web site or by clicking the previous link). Caponata: is a Sicilian dish made with fried eggplant (auburgine) added to a blend of vegetables in a tangy marriage of subtle sweet and vinegary liquids and spices.

This adventurous Southern Italian concoction uses layers of flavor provided first from salty meat (it calls for Italian, salt-cured but non-smoked bacon (pancetta) -- but regular American bacon or marvelously salty Southern cured country ham (similar to pancetta, but since it is made from ham instead of pork belly it has less fat) can be substituted; sautéed chunks of boneless and skinless chicken breasts (Dave usually uses pre-breaded, raw breasts); chunks of eggplant fried crisp in the same pan, taking full advantage of the scraped up leavings from the chicken fry; then adding the "caponata" vegetables and liquid, and gradually reducing the liquid to produce a scrumptiously piquant sauce. If you are pre-organized, (having the vegetables chopped and ready to go) in about 1/2 hour you will have a meal fit for royalty: Dave's Sicilian chicken pasta is spectacular!

Helpful Gourmet Notes: Pre-breaded, uncooked chicken breasts are easy to work with and very yummy. Just fry them up until crisp on the outside, let them cool, then chop them into 2 inch chunks and add them back into the dish near the finish. (Of course, you can use plain breasts to save the extra calories and fat, and you can even dredge them in regular flour to help provide a brown, crusty finished product.You're the Gourmet in your kitchen, and make sure your family and dinner guests know it {Serve them outrageously flavorful dishes like New Italian Recipe's Sicilian Chicken Pasta}!)
The eggplant chunks should be at least slightly caramelized (browned and crusty). This can be accomplished by sautéing them over medium high heat, stirring only after one side is well-browned.
By reducing the red wine and balsamic vinegar, flavored with Butter Buds, by about 3/4's, you will add another layer of flavor that is  worthy of a  gourmet restaurant! (You can find Butter Buds in the spice section of almost any major supermarket -- no fat or sugar and only 10 calories/tablespoon but adds loads of almost perfect, butter flavor to any dish. {Not that Dave has anything against, rich creamery butter, but in most cases the Chef prefers to get his essential dietary fat from the vegetables, including LDL cholesterol lowering extra virgin olive oil}).

Okay, gourmet chefs out there, let's do this!

New Italian Recipe's Sicilian Chicken Pasta

Ingredients:

16 ounces dried pasta. Dave likes penne, spirals, or any shaped pasta of similar size. Cooked al dente, drained with the cooking liquid reserved for later use.
4 - 6 T olive oil
1 large eggplant, peeled and cut into 2 - 3 inch chunks
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (either raw or pre-breaded raw),seasoned with salt and pepper on both sides if you use the plain ones.
4 ounces pancetta, finely diced (or you can use diced country ham or diced bacon).
1 - 2 T anchovy paste (optional, but it adds a bunch of flavor).
1 onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
5 - 6 cloves garlic, diced
1/2 cup red wine
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
2 T butter buds (optional, but it adds a ton of flavor).
3 T Italian seasoning (or make your own with basil, rosemary, thyme, oregano and sage).
1 14 - ounce can of diced tomatoes.
2 T capers
1/2 cup sliced black olives
2 T brown sugar (or Agave Nectar).
2 T cocoa powder
2 T lemon juice

Sprinkle with plenty of chopped parsley and grated parmesan cheese (preferrably,Parmigiano-Reggiano) when serving.  

Preparation of Chef Dave's Sicilian Chicken Pasta with a red wine/balsamic reduction:

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, non-stick frying pan over medium high heat. Add eggplant and sauté about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until soft and a bit browned. Remove from pan and reserve.

Heat another tablespoon of olive oil in same pan. Use a plastic or wooden spatula to scrape up any browned bits but do not remove. Add breaded or seasoned chicken breasts. Cook chicken until well browned on both sides. Remove. When cooled enough to handle, cut into 1-2 inch chunks.

Add another tablespoon of olive oil to same pan. Scrape up any browned bits as before but do not remove (these browned bits are loaded with flavor). Add pancetta, (or bacon or country ham, whichever you are using). Cook, stirring, until browned, about 2 minutes, add anchovy paste if using, stir in, about 30 seconds. Add onions, celery, garlic and sweet peppers. Toss or stir to combine well with pancetta. Sauté until vegetables are well softened, about 5 minutes, then add butter buds, red wine and balsamic vinegar. Let this liquid reduce for about 5 minutes.

Add Italian seasonings, tomatoes, capers, olives, brown sugar (or Agave), cocoa powder and lemon juice. Combine well. Then add back in the cut up chicken and the eggplant. Add the cooked pasta and 1/2 cup of the pasta water and stir it all together well to combine. Let simmer about 5 more minutes, adding a bit more liquid if needed. Cut off the heat and let the dish "marry" for about 10 more minutes before serving.

This dish is "killer" delicious. Sicilian Chicken Pasta with a red wine balsamic reduction - Yum!
Be sure to sprinkle with plenty of chopped parsley and grated parmesan cheese (preferably,Parmigiano-Reggiano).  

Buon Appetito fromChef Dave
newitalianrecipes2003@comcast.net

Sicilian Chicken Pasta Recipe

Italian Pasta Recipes Home Page - More Recipes

Home - More Recipes

Print Friendly Version