Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Sheet Pan Chicken and Pasta

Ingredients

  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1/3 cup softened butter
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme, parsley, or basil
  • 6 medium tomatoes cut into quarters
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 1/2 tsp each salt, black pepper, dried chili flakes (to sprinkle on the tomatoes)
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp each salt, pepper, and garlic powder (to sprinkle on the chicken)
  • 1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 450 gram pkg dried rotini noodles
  • a handful of sea salt for the pasta
Directions
  1. Toss the tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper and dried chili flakes in a large bowl to coat. 
  2. Mix the fresh herbs like thyme and rosemary into the butter and place onto a piece of saran wrap. Roll to form a quarter inch in diameter tube and place in the refrigerator to harden.
  3. When the butter has set, cut into discs, and stuff 2 discs each into slits made in boneless skinless breasts (as per the video). Squeeze the chicken breast together to seal and then rub the outside with a tsp of additional butter and sprinkle with the mixture of salt, pepper, and garlic powder. 
  4. Spread the tomato mixture onto a baking sheet with the seed sides facing down, and place the chicken breasts alongside. Bake in a 350 oven for an hour.
  5. Remove the chicken to a platter, cover to keep warm, and then mash the roasted tomatoes and garlic until it forms a rustic slightly chunky sauce. 
  6. Reserve a half cup of the sauce for the chicken. 
  7. Boil the spaghetti noodles in well salted boiling water until al dente (seven minutes) and add a quarter cup of the pasta water to the sauce in the pot. Pour in the cooked, drained spaghetti, and toss with a quarter cup of fresh grated parmesan cheese. Thinly slice the chicken breasts and serve over top the cooked spaghetti. Pour the reserved sauce in equal amounts over each dish.