From Adam Ragusea.
Thanks to Made In for sponsoring! Check out the Stainless Collection and Made In’s other cookware using my link to save on your order — https://madein.cc/0724-adamragusea
***RECIPE, FEEDS AT LEAST FOUR***
2 big chicken breasts
1/2 lb (227g) pasta (or more if you want more/cheaper food)
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
2 shallots
1 orange
crushed Calabrian chili paste or another mild chili paste (I used 2-3 huge heaped spoonfuls)
a few garlic cloves
a few sprigs of parsley
salt
pepper
olive oil
butter (optional)
Butterfly the chicken breasts, season heavily with salt and pepper. Get a wide frying pan really hot, put in a good film of oil and brown the chicken on both sides until it’s just done on the inside.
Perhaps while the chicken is going, peel and chop the garlic and shallots, cut the tomatoes in half and zest the orange. To make a gremolata garnish, take maybe a third of your garlic and chop it up fine with the zest and the parsley.
When the chicken is done, take it out to a plate. Put in the shallots and the tomatoes, use the water that comes out to deglaze the pan. Now would be a good time to get your pasta cooking in salted boiling water.
When the tomatoes are just starting to fall apart, stir in the garlic and cook for a minute, then juice in the orange and cook until the liquid starts to look thick and saucy. Kill the heat, and when the bubbling stops you could melt in some butter — I did a tablespoon, but you could use a lot more. Season with pepper.
Pour the resting juices from the chicken into the sauce, slice the meat into bite-size pieces and move to the sauce. Drain the pasta when done and drop it into the sauce. Stir in the chili paste to taste (I used 2-3 big scoops), taste for seasoning and add salt etc if necessary.
Plate and garnish with the gremolata. Works even better as a cold pasta salad the next day, imho.