Fettuccine with Chicken, Tarragon and Gorgonzola

This was a recipe that I pulled together after a craving for creamy cheesy pasta while at the grocery picking ingredients up for another meal. This happens a lot. I’m typically not allowed to go grocery shopping alone because I wonder around getting excited about all the different items and things I could possibly do with them. Like Halley’s comet, it’s a rare astronomical event for me to stick to a shopping list. Thankfully, Chris is usually cool with a complete change in direction for dinner once I arrive home with whatever I’ve picked up. This time it was gorgonzola dolce, gouda some fresh herbs and pancetta!

Prepping the ingredients.

Opaque chicken ready for the wine.

Adding the cheese.

Heavy cream

Dinner is done.

For the Pasta

6oz Package of Fettuccini

OR you can make your own!

Eggs

Flour

Water

For the Sauce

1lbs chicken thighs cut into bite size strips

1 medium onion

4 garlic cloves

2oz Pancetta

2.5oz Gorgonzola Dolce

2.25oz Gouda

3 sprigs of fresh Thyme

6 sprigs of fresh Tarragon

3 sprigs of fresh Rosemary

½ Scotch bonnet or other hot pepper

2 tbsp Butter

½ cup Sparkling white wine or your favorite dry white wine

½ cup Heavy cream

1 Lemon zest

½ tsp Black pepper

¼ tsp salt              

For Garnishing

grated parmesan cheese

chopped parsley

wedge of lemon

1. Ok, so first things first, prep your ingredients. Dice the onion, garlic and hot pepper. Cube the pancetta, gorgonzola, and gouda. Measure out the wine and heavy cream. Set them aside in separate bowls for later. This way once you actually start cooking everything is readily at hand. To be honest, if I start cooking when I’m already hungry this prep all goes out the window, but if you manage to get things ready first things go a lot smoother.

2. Get your chicken ready by cutting of the extra fat from the chicken thighs and cutting into 1 inch chunks. There’s no need to get intense about it, it’s ok if there is still a bit of fat left on and you don’t have to be precise about size as long as the pieces are roughly the same, basically all larger or smaller. Remember, “fat is flavor”…Place your cut pieces in a large bowl and set aside in the refrigerator until you’re ready for it.

3. Food cooking time

4. Start a pot of salted water to boil for your pasta now.

5. In a deep sauté pan start crisping the pancetta. Once crisp add the onions and sauté until they start to brown.

6. Once the onions have started to brown add in the garlic and chicken sautéing until the chicken is opaque.

7. If you’re using package pasta like barilla add it to the boiling water now for the time noted on the package for al dente.

8. Now it’s time to add the 1/2 cup of white wine. Once it starts to bubble back up, turn the heat down to low add all of the herbs, salt and pepper and let the wine reduce by about half. Stir occasionally.

9. If you’re using fresh pasta add it to the boiling water now and cook until al dente.

10. Add the remaining ingredients to the pan and stir until everything is incorporated and the cheese has melted completely.

11. When your pasta is ready, drain reserving a bit of the water in a separate container.

12. Add the cooked pasta to the pan of chicken and sauce. Turn off the heat and mix to bring everything together. If it’s not saucy enough you can add some of the pasta water you kept back to make a looser sauce. Don’t go too wild with the pasta water since you want the sauce to be creamy.

13. Place into bowls and serve with grated parmesan cheese, chopped parsley and a wedge of lemon.