Chicken, pancetta, and white wine penne
My best friend used to tell me that I should write a recipe book called ‘Cooking with Wine’ because of how often wine makes it into my meals. I usually use sauvignon blanc because it’s dry, easy to find, and has a lovely fruity flavour profile that lifts up dishes like this one. The fennel seeds bring a sweet aniseed flavour that really makes this pasta stand out. Besides being packed full of flavour, this dish comes together really quickly. Remember not to let your extra wine go to waste, and enjoy the rest of it with your meal.
Ingredients
- 500 grams penne or other tube shaped pasta
- 65 grams diced smoked pancetta
- 350 grams chicken breast or boneless chicken thighs, diced
- 1 large shallot, diced
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 tsp fennel seeds
- 1/2 tsp chilli flakes
- 1 head sweetheart cabbage, cut into thin strips
- 175 ml dry white wine
- 250g crème fraiche
- 75g parmesan, divided
- black pepper
Instructions
- Boil pasta in salted water according to pack directions for al dente. Once cooked, reserve ½ cup pasta water and set aside to drain.
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in pan on medium- high heat and add pancetta. Cook pancetta for about 2 minutes.
- Add chicken and cook for 2 minutes until it begins to colour before adding the shallot, cooking for 1 minute more.
- Add the minced garlic, fennel seeds, chilli flakes, and pepper and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the cabbage, 2 tbsp of water, and cover the pan to allow the cabbage to steam for 3-4 minutes.
- Once the cabbage begins to wilt, remove the lid from the pan and add the white wine. Stir the mixture and allow the wine to reduce until most of the liquid is gone.
- Add the creme fraiche, ⅔ of the parmesan, and stir. Once combined, add the penne and mix to coat. If the sauce is too thick, use some of the reserved pasta water to loosen.
- Divide across four bowls, and serve with a final sprinkle of parmesan cheese and fresh cracked black pepper.