Better Cacio e Pepe with Chicken

Serves 1
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Directions

  1. 1Marinate chicken thighs with lemon juice, smoked paprika, garlic powder, dried parsley, oregano, salt, pepper, and olive oil.
  2. 2Sear the chicken in a hot pan until it has color on both sides.
  3. 3Finish cooking the chicken in an oven or air fryer until cooked through.
  4. 4Blanch rapini (or broccoli) in salted boiling water for about a minute.
  5. 5Crush and finely mince some garlic cloves.
  6. 6Grate a generous amount of Pecorino Romano.
  7. 7Reserve some pasta water and allow it to cool slightly.
  8. 8Combine the reserved pasta water with Pecorino Romano using an immersion blender to create a creamy sauce.
  9. 9In the same pan used for chicken, sauté minced garlic, red pepper flakes, and black pepper.
  10. 10Add the blanched rapini, some al dente pasta, and a couple of knobs of butter to the pan.
  11. 11Pour in the creamy Pecorino sauce and toss until well combined.
  12. 12Top with even more cheese and enjoy.

Ingredients

  • chicken thighs
  • lemon juice
  • smoked paprika
  • garlic powder
  • dried parsley
  • oregano
  • salt
  • pepper
  • olive oil
  • rapini
  • salt
  • garlic cloves
  • Pecorino Romano
  • pasta water
  • minced garlic
  • red pepper flakes
  • black pepper
  • al dente pasta
  • 2 knobs of butter
  • cheese

Equipment

ovenair fryerhot panimmersion blender

Tips

  • You can use broccoli instead of rapini for the greens.
  • Allow pasta water to cool slightly before adding it to the Pecorino Romano.