Mediterranean Chicken

This is pasta being cooked. Rigatoni to be precise. You will want to do this at the appropriate time. About 8 to 10 minutes before your ready to eat. I am tired of moving pictures around and dealing with blogger's issues so I am just leaving this one here. The real beginning of this post starts now:

So two years ago, when Flibberty and I had been dating all of a few weeks, I had a Sunday off work. I drove from Judith Gap to Billings, staying the night and getting up to drive back to the JG at 4AM MONDAY morning. Those were the good old days. When I was happy to get up ridiculously early and drive 100 miles to work. I mean, I still would be happy to do that, but I don't have to now. So... you know, whatever.

Anyway, I made the following meal at Flib's house for the Oscars. Five(ish) of her friends came to watch the Oscars at her house that night and not one of them so much as looked at this wonderful meal. They all claimed they were full, it may have been they didn't trust me -the stranger from up north- or something. I don't know.

It was their loss, cuz this is a good meal, and it's simple, though it may be a bit costly in the ingredient list. It is sort of the closest thing I have to a signature meal. I got the basics from a friend of mine, but modified it (cuz I hafta) to make it my own.

We made this pictured batch about two weeks ago and got photo documentation, cuz it is important to take pictures of your food. I figured since at this moment I am alone (Flib flew home to see family for the weekend) and watching the Oscars it would be a good time to put it out there for everyone.

This meal turns out great every time. Like most things I do, cooking or otherwise, I do not have an exact recipe. As always though, there is a solid framework to build upon. I like to do everything in life as if it were a painting I guess. Perhaps my motto should be: "Someone build me and easel and stretch some canvas. I have a metaphorical painting to do." Anyway. Here goes.

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You will need:

-Some sort of stove or Superman's laser vision

-Some sort of large pan for cooking stuff and pot for boiling pasta

-A pound of boneless chicken breast.

-Olive oil.

-A garlic bulb.

-A small jar of artichoke hearts.

-Sun dried tomatoes, either in a bag of dry ones or a jar the ones where they are preserved in olive oil. If you want grow your own and dry them out yourself. I assume there is a sun where you live.

-Pitted kalamata olives

-A jar of Capers (don't use them all, unless you really love capers)

-A small can of tomato paste

-Cream/half and half/skim milk...(you choose the fat level)

-Feta cheese

-Maybe basil, parsley, etc.

-Rigatoni, Penne, or whatever pasta you like. (Bronze cut pasta absorbs flavors better, so buy the good stuff with visible pores. Also, usually it says if it is bronze cut on the box.)

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Julienne the chicken breast. The thinner and longer the better in my opinion.

As usual, I am ahead of myself. I rely heavily on the wisdom of Alton Brown, who recommends always mincing the garlic first. So do that and let it sit.

Add the chicken to some good olive oil and cook it up.

Have you heard about olive oil tastings? They have them like wine tastings I guess. I have not attended one, but I did smell our olive oil and noticed it is a bit fruity. I suppose if you have sophisticated palate the finer points would matter. Personally, I just go with the least expensive extra virgin olive oil. Maybe someday I won't make my olive oil purchases using the same rules of purchase that lead homeless people (and college students [oh, yeah, I drank it in college, semi-often]) to the Mad dog 20/20 'wine'.

Once the chicken is cooked you can add the garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and artichokes.


Then add the olives and capers. Just a healthy amount. Flib thinks the olives are too salty, so I have to clean up hers when she's done eating. Next add the tomato paste and cream or milk. Add enough so it makes a nice sauce.


Add the feta and anything else listed above that I forgot. Let it all get melty and such. Your pasta should be done now. I think tossing it all together works best for taste if you plan on serving the whole batch at once. If it is something that will be leftovers though I would leave it separate so you can have fresh pasta when you have the leftovers.

Maybe it is just called a julienne also -but I don't think so- anyway... I can't remember what else they may call it at the moment, so I will just say we cut fresh basil into ribbons for this batch. It makes for a good garnish.

So there it is. We tend to shred Parmesan over it too. Of course -as you know- some good bread and wine will always help to make any good foods better.

Ciao