Spicy Chicken Pasta

Chicken marinade:

• •250g chicken breast, butterflied into 2 even pieces
• •2 tsp olive oil
• •1/2 tsp smoked paprika (best in this dish; regular sweet paprika works if you prefer)
• •1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• •1/4 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• •1/4 tsp black pepper, plus more to taste
• •200g linguine (or other proper long pasta)

Cream sauce:

• •80 to 160ml heavy cream, add gradually to taste
• •80ml chicken stock
• •60ml dry white wine
• •30g parmesan, finely grated, plus extra to finish
• •60g sun-dried tomatoes, finely diced (use their oil for saute stage)
• •2 tbsp tomato paste
• •1 tbsp butter + 1 tbsp olive oil (50/50 fat base)
• •1 small onion, very finely diced
• •1 tsp garlic, minced
• •1/2 tsp chili flakes, add gradually and taste
• •1 tbsp parsley, finely diced

Chicken marinade:

1. Mix marinade: 2 tsp olive oil, smoked paprika, cayenne, salt, and black pepper. Butterfly chicken breast into two even cutlets, coat well, then pan-fry over medium-high heat about 3 minutes per side until charred and just cooked. Rest and slice thinly against the grain.

Cream sauce:

1. Lower heat to medium. Use a 50/50 butter and olive oil base in the pan, scraping fond. Add onion very finely chopped and cook until softened and lightly colored. Add garlic, then add chili gradually in small additions while tasting. Add sun-dried tomatoes and use some tomato jar oil here instead of extra plain oil.

2. Pour in white wine and reduce almost fully. Add tomato paste and fry 2 minutes to sweeten, then add chicken stock and reduce until concentrated.

3. Cook pasta in salted boiling water until al dente, reserving pasta water.

4. Add cream to the sauce little by little, tasting each time. Keep in mind cream will not remove all heat, so keep balancing spice carefully.

5. Add pasta, parmesan, parsley, and sliced chicken. Toss to coat and loosen with starchy pasta water if needed. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and chili before serving.