Christmas Pasta with Slow Cooked Chicken
Pasta with slow cooked chicken, bacon, bay and all-spice.
Ingredients
- 5 slices thick cut bacon, chopped
- 2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts
- 3 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 2 cans tomato paste (6 oz each)
- 4 cups water
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 tsp ground all-spice
- 1 parmesan rind
- 1 lb. dried pasta - I like Mafaldine for this
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan
Instructions
- In a large dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until the fat has rendered and the bacon is crisp, about 6-8 minutes. Leave the fat in the pan, removing the bacon bits to a paper towel lined plate for later.
- Sprinkle the chicken breasts and thighs liberally with kosher salt and black pepper. Working in two batches, sear the chicken skin side down in the bacon fat in the same pot over medium high heat. Flip to sear and then remove to the plate with the bacon bits to finish the rest of the chicken. Don't crowd the pan, as the chicken won't brown properly.
- In the same pan, saute the onions in the leftover chicken and bacon fat, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one more minute. Add the wine, cooking to scrape all of the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the two cans of tomato paste, cooking briefly to remove the raw taste. Slowly pour the 4 cups of water into the pot, stirring to combine the tomato paste into the liquid. Add the all-spice, and put all of the chicken and bacon bits back into the pot. Add the bay leaves and parmesan rind, and cover with a tight fitting lid. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for TWO HOURS, without opening the lid.
- After the first two hours, remove the lid and continue to simmer for another 2-4 hours, uncovered.
- When you are done cooking, remove the chicken to a separate large plate. Discard the skin and bones, shredding the meat into fine strips. Remove the bay leaves and parmesan rind, and then return the cooked chicken back to the pot, stirring to thicken the sauce. Taste for salt and pepper, and add as needed.
- When ready to eat, cook the pasta according to package directions, and drain, reserving about 3/4 cup of the cooking liquid. Toss the cooked pasta into the sauce, along with 1/2 cup of grated parmesan. Thin with the reserved pasta cooking water as you like.
Notes
The pasta can be made up to three days in advance, and the sauce also freezes well in a sealed container.