10Sep '09
Chicken spaghetti and saffron sauce
I know saffron is extravagant but it’s also a really great flavour and well worth trying, especially when you’re bored of classic cheese and tomato based sauces with your pasta! It’s also low fat (guilt free) and quick to prepare (phew!).
Ingredients (serves 2):
- 2 chicken breasts or leftovers from a roast chicken chopped or shredded
- A pinch of saffron
- 3-4 large ripe tomatoes or the equivalent in cherry tomatoes, diced or in halves for smaller tomatoes
- 1 red or yellow pepper, diced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 heaped teaspoon of mild cream cheese
- 6 tarragon leaves, finely chopped
- 1 chilli, left whole with it’s side split
- A splosh of olive oil and red wine vinegar
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Spaghetti (or other pasta of your choice)
Method:
- In a frying pan splosh some olive oil and cook the chicken pieces if you’re not using leftovers. After a few minutes add the onion, chilli and stir.
- Drop in the red wine vinegar, or use white wine vinegar if you don’t have any.
- Put the spaghetti in boiling water and cook as per packet instructions.
- Add the pepper and tomatoes to the pan and let them mix and bubble.
- When the pasta is almost ready, add the cream cheese, tarragon and a pinch of saffron to the vegetables and chicken.
- Drain the pasta and reserve some of the cooking liquid in case your sauce needs extra moisture.
- Mix the pasta and sauce together and serve.
A hunk of crusty bread makes a good accompaniment and will mop up extra sauce.
