In case you hadn’t noticed, I make a lot of chicken dishes. This is partly due to the cost. I find it wonderful to think dark meat is so out of vogue that they just dump it off in bags for around $6.00, and most of the flavor of a chicken is in the darker meats, which leaves me happily trying out new combinations.
This particular recipe like many others I’ve posted here, was born from necessity. Mrs. seat of her Pants had picked up some fresh pasta (Linguine) a few days earlier for something that she had been planning to make, and then forgotten about as deadlines loomed. It was up to me to save those lovely, fresh strands of yumminess!
The big question was… What was I going to make it with?
That particular question answered itself pretty quickly. I had a package of thighs sitting around that were very near going past good. Since I’m not the type to let that happen, I pulled them out as well and then surveyed my supplies with a vague idea that I’d make something with a sauce to toss the little cluckers and the pasta in.
No such luck. It was getting close to payday, meaning that our stock of fresh veggies was depleted, and so was our generally very healthy supply of stocks and other cooking liquids. I was going to have to come up with something else, and I was beginning to hear the sounds of my wife complaining that dinner shouldn’t be served at 9:00pm in the back of my head. (I personally don’t mind eating at 9:00, but Mrs. seat of her Pants has very real reasons to need sustenance at more structured intervals, and I do try to accommodate her.)
Off to the standby, I’ll just roast it off with some nice liquids and serve over pasta!
This is an approximation of the actual ingredients, but the method is the same that I used. I won’t go into how to boil water or cook pasta. Read the directions for whatever type you prefer to use. I would suggest a flat-noodle pasta such as egg noodles or linguine, but that’s just a preference.
Recipe for Roast Chicken Thighs and Onions over Pasta
Ingredients
Instructions
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4 Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 214Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 42mgSodium: 379mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 4gSugar: 14gProtein: 12g
What I would have done differently had I thought of it at the time:
This was wonderful, it really was. The chicken has tons of flavor, is juicy and the juices in the bottom of the dish are very sweet from the onions. In all, it was good, but I think I would have liked it a bit more if I’d had some fresh basil to add, not only to the onions and garlic, but also torn over the top when the dish was served. Perhaps a bit more potent Marsala would have added something as well.
Still, I’m not complaining, and neither did Mrs. seat of her Pants, so I’d call this one a winner.
I’m also a big fan of chicken thighs (not only more flavourful than breast meat, but also much more moist!) so this is a winner for me! And what a great picture :)
This looks yummy, Jerry! Well done!
I love the look of the new site – it’s very “fresh” looking.
And I couldn’t agree more – the dark meat is where it’s at fer shnizzle. I like using the skinless, boneless breasts for a lot of things.. but if I’m eating chicken for chicken (such as fried, baked or roasted) I won’t go near the breast. Thank Gawd, Hubbs likes the breast meat, so we don’t fight over chicken parts. lol
Ellie,
Thanks! I think the thing that made this particular dish so wonderful was the simplicity of it. I’ve toyes with making it more elaborate, but it just never seems to have the impact this simple little combination does.
Lisa,
Funny, “fresh” is the same term my wife used to describe it. I hope you’ll find that it’s much easier to use. That was the plan at least.
And yup, I’m a dark meat kind of a guy my own self. I remember that when I was young the only fights over chicken were between my father and myself. They were usually about who got the last chicken leg!
(Small hint, for gorgeous roasted breast meat, roast the bird whole with just a drizzle of olive oil and sesoning. Bake at 350°F and *don’t open the oven until the temp is right8
Also, use a fryer, not a roaster, it just seems to work better
I’m a beginner in in the arena of cooking so I dont have any port to cook with! I do have red and white cooking wine and sherry. What is my best bet here? Also I was thinking about tossing my pasta in some pesto, what are your thoughts on that? Thanks!
Kayla,
Sherry is the perfect substitute for port. Either will give you beautiful results.
Jerry, thanks for the great idea! I’ve prepared this dish tonight (partially), according to most of the instructions. I have added some freeze-dried Basil and fresh squeezed lemon juice (about 1/2 cup), along with some Cayenne and red pepper flakes for a little kick. I substituted Marsala for the Port, and have gone up to the point of baking. I’m going to leave the dish covered and will place it in the refrigerator to “marry” until about an hour prior to dinner tomorrow night. I’ll let you know how it goes!!
Sounds like a winner!
This dish turned out beautifully! Thanks for the recipe!