RECIPE: Chicken, Peas, and Pasta in Caramelized Cream Sauce

Sorry for yet another pea recipe.  It should be the last one until next spring because the peas are done.  I made this to use up the last of them and we inhaled it.  It's a riff on the Pasta with Shelling Peas recipe I posted last week.  There is very little pasta - only 1/3 pound - so it's blood sugar friendly.  I still have a 1/4 cup of pea pod concentrate so I will be trying the recipe with frozen peas and will report back....

Chicken, Peas, and Pasta in Caramelized Cream Sauce

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound chicken breasts, thick parts cut in half and pounded to 1/4" thickness
• 2 t. himalayan pink salt 
• MARINADE:
• 2 T. minced shallots
• 1 T. minced garlic
• Zest and juice from one medium lemon
• 2 T. EVOO
• 1 t. minced parsley
• 1 t. minced dill
  
• 4 T. butter
• 2 T. thinly sliced shallots
• 3 cups half-and-half or cream skimmed from farm milk 
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne or cobanero pepper
• Optional: 3 T. pea pod concentrate
• 1/3 pound angel hair pasta, broken into 3 pieces
• 1 quart water plus 1 T. salt
• 4 cups peas, blanched (defrosted if frozen) 

INSTRUCTIONS:

In a bowl or container large enough to hold the chicken breasts, combine the minced shallots, garlic, lemon juice and zest, and the olive oil.  Stir to combine.  

Lightly salt the chicken breasts with the 2 t. salt and nestle them in the marinade.  Allow them to marinate 15-20 minutes.

Chicken in the marinade.

Heat a large saute pan on medium-high.  When it's hot, transfer the chicken from the marinade to the hot pan, letting any excess drip away.  Fry for 2-3 minutes on each side until lightly browned.  Reduce the heat to medium and remove the chicken to a plate.  

Quickly add the butter to the pan and use a spatula to add all the remaining marinade to it.  Add the sliced shallots, too.  Saute for 5 minutes until the the shallots are translucent.

Add the cream to the pan, scraping up all the browned bits from frying the chicken.  The sauce will turn a light brown color.  

Sauteed chicken on the left, sauce as it was reducing on the right.

Sprinkle the cayenne or cobanero over the sauce and allow it to simmer until reduced to a saucy consistency, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring the 1 quart of water plus 1 T. salt to boil in a small 2-quart saucepan. When it boils, add the pasta and stir to prevent sticking.  Reduce the heat so it doesn't boil over and stir frequently.  

After 4 minutes, test the pasta for done-ness.  If it's al dente, cut the heat under the pan and let it sit in the water until the cream sauce is the right consistency.  

When the cream sauce is ready, add the peas (and the pea pod concentrate if you're using it) and stir for a minute to warm the peas.

Using tongs, lift the pasta out of the water, let most of the water clinging to it drain back into the pan, then transfer it to the sauce with the little water still clinging to it.  You don't want much water, just a little to silken the sauce. 

Stir.  Taste and adjust seasoning.  Serve.