Blackened Chicken with Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta

When is Peak Bell Pepper Season?

Okay technically bell peppers are now available to us all year round, but like all things grown, there is a huge difference in flavour (and price) when it’s actually in season. Luckily for us, the best home grown and farmer’s market bell peppers are ready for harvest from July-August!

The vegetables really embody the taste of summer by being a vehicle for crisp, refreshing, and light dishes. It’s also very healthy! Bell peppers are loaded with Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Potassium, Folic Acid, and Fiber! Red bell peppers in particular have a large does of Folate, Iron, and Fiber!

Why Should I Invest in Cast Iron?

My most versatile kitchen tool is my 10 inch Cast Iron Pan. I know the Cast Iron Elites out there will make a huge fuss about how it is clearly a superior pan and you can feel grandmother’s aging spirit in it, but the truth is it’s just a really useful pan.

Instead of buying a stove top pan, a circular cake tin, and a baking sheet, I only bought one cast iron pan. I love being able to start a meal on the stove and then continue it in the oven (or vice versa) and I love how easy it is to use.

Another point in the favour of this pan is that it’s fully compatible with an induction stove. This may not sound like a big problem if you’ve never lived in dorm, but as a student who could only cook in the building’s community kitchen, I quickly learned that induction is a cruel and picky mistress.

After buying my first pan and realizing that I couldn’t even get it hot enough to accidentally burn myself, I had to do my research in order to get an induction-compatible pan. In the process I found my cast iron, and music to my student ears was that I didn’t have to buy a baking sheet or cake pan.

Blackened Chicken with Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Pasta

Abel & Simone | 10/20/21

• prep time-fast: Overnight
  
• prep time-slow: 1 hour
  
• cook time: 30 minutes
  
• total time-fast: 1.5 hour
• total time-fast: 1 day

Servings: 4

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Ingredients-Cream Sauce Pasta:

• 1lb Pasta
• 10oz Sun Dried Tomatoes
• 2 Tbsp Sun Dried Tomato Oil
• 6 Cloves Garlic
• 2 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
• 16oz Coconut Milk / Coconut Cream
• 1 Tbsp Dried Basil
• 1 Tbsp Red Chili Flakes
• 1/2 Cup White Wine
• 1/2 Cup Grated Parmesan
• 1 Cup Arugula OR Leafy Green of Choice
• Salt & Pepper
• Fresh Basil & Thyme, for garnish
• 1 Lemon, for garnish

Ingredients-Blackened Chicken:

• 1 Ziploc Gallon Bag
  
• 6 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs
  
• 1 Cup Olive Oil
  
• 3 Tbsp Fresh Chopped Dill
  
• 5 Tbsp Fresh Chopped Basil
  
• 3 Cloves Garlic, chopped
  
• 1 Lemon, juiced
  
  

Special Equipment: Ziploc Bag - 1 Gallon

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Instructions - Blackened Chicken:

1. Rinse your chicken under cold water and pat dry. In your 1 gallon Ziploc bag, add all ingredients. Allow to sit overnight, up to 3 days. In a pinch, let sit for at least an hour.
   

1. Remove your chicken and garlic from bag, and griddle over a screaming high heat for 3 minutes on both sides, or until fully cooked. Set aside to rest, topped with crispy garlic.
   

Instructions - Creamy Pasta Sauce:

1. Set your pasta water on the stove to boil, heavily salted. Cook pasta until Aldente. The Italians say that your pasta water should resemble sea water. The added salts helps to flavour the starchy pasta water that will be used later to get the sauce to really cling to the noodles.
   

1. In a deep pan over medium heat, add your sun-dried tomato oil. Chop your garlic and sun dried tomatoes, then add your sun-dried tomatoes to the pan. Saute until sun-dried tomatoes get a light char, then add garlic. Saute until fragrant, about a minute, watching to make sure your garlic doesn’t burn. Stir regularly.
   

1. Add your dijon mustard, stirring constantly until garlic and tomatoes are well coated. Saute for a minute, stirring constantly, then add ¼ cup white wine. Keep stirring until wine has reduced, about 2 minutes, then slowly add coconut milk. Lower heat immediately.
   

1. Add dried basil, red chili flakes, salt, and pepper to taste. Simmer for 5 minutes, agitating periodically. Add the rest of your white wine and simmer for another 5 minutes.
   

1. Begin griddling your chicken thighs.
   

1. Transfer your al dente pasta into your sauce, adding a small scoop of pasta water in with the sauce. Using tongs, lightly toss your noodles in the sauce, then add in your grated parmesan and arugula. Continue to toss your noodles until the sauce is clinging to them. If the sauce isn’t clinging, add more parmesan.
   

1. Serve immediately, garnished with lemon juice, fresh thyme, basil, and black pepper, and top with your roughly chopped blackened chicken. Enjoy!
   

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