An easy AND delicious dinner on Monday after slaving all day on Sunday for a feast with the family would be a nice start to the week. Don't you think? Keep reading, I have the answer for you....
These two dishes, chicken fettuccine and shrimp fettuccine are classics! However, you will not recognize them as Mexican food. I'm serious! I made both one night for friends who own a restaurant and they now have both on their menu. They call them Karina's Chicken Fettuccine Especial, and Karina's Shrimp Fettuccine Especial. You will savour the mild flavors of celery, onion, garlic, shrimp (or chicken), chipotle and cheese. Each ingredient adds an additional layer of flavor to the overall dish. I am excited for you to try them. Please let me know which version you made, the chicken fettuccine or shrimp fettuccine and how you like it and. Enjoy!!
Makes 4 servings
12 ounces fettuccine noodles- make sure it is good quality pasta
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/2 cup onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 chipotle chiles in adobo, very finely minced (optional) **
2 single chicken breasts (or 1 double), no skin or bones. Cut into 1 inch cubes.
8 ounces cream or half and half (NOT heavy whipping cream)
fresh ground black pepper, to taste, or about 5 cranks on your grinder
1 lime, juiced
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated (use this ONLY if you do not use chipotles)
Heat a sufficient amount of boiling salted water for the pasta. Drop the pasta in and stir it to make sure all the strands of fettuccine are separated. Cook until al dente - with a bite, not mushy.
While the pasta is cooking, pour the olive oil in a large heated frying pan. Add the celery. Sauté for 2 minutes, then add the onion. Turn down the heat to low. You do not want the celery and onion to brown, only remove the crunch. Add the salt, this will bring out the moisture and help you in your quest not to brown.
When they are translucent(ish), add the garlic and chipotles. Stir well to combine.
Drop in the chicken cubes. Sauté until the chicken is cooked through, but still juicy. About 7 minutes should do it. If you have some large cubes, take one out and cut it in half to check for doneness. If it is still pink, add a minute to the cooking time. Remember that chicken breasts cook very fast and you don't want to end up with shoe leather, so please be careful not to overcook it.
Pour in the cream, grind in the pepper, and squeeze the lime over the chicken. Give it a good stir. Allow the cream to heat for 1 minute then turn off the heat.
With tongs, lift the pasta from the water and immediately add it to the chicken mixture. This adds just a wee bit of cooking water to the cream so it doesn't get too thick. Mix the pasta by turning it over and over in the sauce until it is completely covered. Serve.
NOTE: If you do not use the chipotles, use 2 limes and the Parmesan cheese. The chipotle chiles do not make the sauce spicy hot, they just give it a nice smoky chile flavor.
KARINA'S SHRIMP FETTUCINI ESPECIAL
Makes 4 servings
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/2 cup onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 clove of garlic, minced
10 ounces of cleaned and deveined shrimp, fresh or frozen, (if frozen, defrost in cold water)
8 ounces cream or half & half (NOT heavy whipping cream)
fresh ground black pepper, to taste, or about 5 cranks on your grinder
2 limes, juiced
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
Heat a sufficient amount of boiling salted water for the pasta. Drop the pasta in and stir it to make sure all the strands of fettucini are separated. Cook until al dente - with a bite, not mushy.
While the pasta is cooking, pour the olive oil in a large heated frying pan. Add the celery. Sauté for 2 minutes, then add the onion. Turn down the heat to low. You do not want the celery and onion to brown, only remove the crunch. Add the salt, this will bring out the moisture and help you in your quest not to brown.
When they are translucent(ish), add the garlic. Stir well to combine.
Drop in the shrimp. If the shrimp is fresh or raw, cook it until it is white with red, about 3-4 minutes. If it has been cooked, only heat it through. With shrimp you also need to remember not to overcook it. You do not want rubber shrimp.
Pour in the cream, grind in the pepper, and squeeze the limes over the shrimp. Give it a good stir, allow the cream to heat for 1 minute then turn off the heat. Add the parmesan cheese. Don't stir, the hot pasta will melt it.
With tongs, lift the pasta from the water and immediately add it to the shrimp mixture. This adds just a wee bit of cooking water to the cream and cheese so it doesn't get too thick. Mix the pasta by turning it over and over in the sauce until it is completely covered. Serve.
PDF
