This comforting and delicious Chicken Boscaiola Pasta recipe is a twist on the popular classic, with crispy chicken strips added to the delicious creamy sauce. You only need simple ingredients and 30 minutes to have this family-friendly delight on the table.
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time20 minutesmins
Total Time30 minutesmins
Ingredients
2large bonelessskinless chicken breasts, cut in half horizontally to make 4 thinner steaks
1tspsweet paprika
1tspsea salt flakes
1tspfreshly cracked black pepper
1tbspolive oil
200g7 oz streaky bacon, cut into wide strips
1tbspunsalted butter
1small onionfinely diced
1tbspfinely chopped garlic
400g14 oz fettuccine (or pasta of your choice)
200g7 oz Swiss brown mushrooms, sliced (or white or button mushrooms)
300ml10½ fl oz thickened (heavy) cream
½tspchicken stock powderbouillon
1cup100 g freshly grated parmesan, plus extra to serve
1tbspfinely chopped flat-leaf parsleyto serve
Instructions
Prep the chicken – Sprinkle the chicken with the paprika, salt and half the pepper.
Cook the chicken – Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan over medium–high heat and cook the chicken for 6–8 minutes until golden and just cooked, turning once halfway through cooking.
Slice the chicken into thin strips and set aside.
Cook the bacon, onion and garlic – Add the bacon to the same pan and cook for 2 minutes or until crisp. Use a spoon to scoop out any excess bacon fat, if required.
Add the butter and, once melted, add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes until softened.
Boil the pasta – Meanwhile, cook the fettuccine as per the packet instructions minus 1 minute – it will finish cooking when combined with the sauce.
Reserve ½ cup (125 ml) of the pasta cooking water (take it out of the pot using a ladle or mug while the pasta is cooking). Drain the pasta.
Add the remaining ingredients – Add the mushrooms to the bacon mixture and cook, stirring, for 3–4 minutes until softened.
Add the thickened cream, reserved pasta cooking water, chicken stock powder and remaining pepper and simmer for 2 minutes until thickened.
Combine the pasta and chicken – Remove the pan from the heat, add the parmesan, pasta and chicken and stir them through.
Serve – Serve with the extra parmesan and sprinkled with parsley.
Notes
Make Ahead
Prepare the mushrooms ahead of time, by cleaning them first to remove any debris (use a damp paper towel to wipe the mushrooms clean), then slice the mushrooms (unless using small whole mushrooms). Refrigerate in an airtight container or reusable sandwich bag for up to 3 days.
Leftovers
Refrigerate for up to 2 days. Not suitable to freeze.