RECIPE: Chicken Romano

Pasta dishes should be a weekly staple in anyones home. There's a million and one different recipes out there to try, so there's no excuses for not finding one you like, and well... who doesn't like pasta!? (although it's massively high in carbs and I'm off it for the next month or so while I try out the keto diet, eeek!).

Amongst all these recipes, though, it's hard to find a favourite, as there's just so many from your simple carbonara to spaghetti bolognese to pesto/garlic/tomato/basil flavours. You get the picture. But I've gone and done it and found my favourite pasta recipe! Honestly I found it years ago, but it was only having it again recently after a long period without it that I realised, yup. This is it. The one pasta dish to rule them all.

And they call it Chicken Romano.

Never heard of it? Well where have you been!? Probably not in my house is the answer, because I've never had this dish anywhere other than in my house, and when I mention it to friends, they've never heard of it, and still don't know what it is after I've described it. So you're not alone if you've never heard of it. But I urge you to read on and get making this recipe ASAP because boy are you in for a treat! Tender chicken, moreish stuffing and a great, flavourful tomato sauce. What more do you need to hear!?

Except for this: the chicken part of this dish really works best if it's pre-cooked. The way my mum does it, and now me, is with the leftovers from a whole roast chicken. You pull off all the good bits of meat still left on the whole chicken after you've devoured as much as you can for your Sunday roast, pop it in a tub and either freeze it to be defrosted in a few days time, or just refrigerate if you're going to make this Romano the next day. The same goes for the stuffing - store what's left from your roast chicken and use later. Of course, you can cook up chicken and pre-packaged stuffing mix as and when you want it for this dish, but trail and error told my mum that pre-cooked stuff was best.

And we should all know that handmade stuffing is much better than from a packet!

INGREDIENTS (serves 2)

6oz fusilli pasta (make this 4 if you like a slightly smaller portion)
1 large carrot, finely grated
1 large onion, halved and sliced
Pre-cooked chicken
Pre-cooked stuffing (preferably that was cooked with the roasted chicken, but if you don't have this to hand, leave it out or use pre-packaged)
1/2 pint chicken stock
1 tbsp sugar
Tomato Puree
Paprika, to taste (2/3 tsps is generally a good amount)
Salt & Pepper to taste
Mixed herbs, to taste
Oil

METHOD

In a medium saucepan, heat oil and fry the onion and carrot for around 10 minutes ,or until the onion is soft, but not browned, and then add the paprika, salt, pepper, sugar, puree and herbs. Stir well.


Add chicken stock and simmer for 20 minutes.

While that's going, tear up the pre-cooked chicken into bitesize strips and pieces. Also cut up the stuffing into decent chunks and add to the pan with the chicken, leaving to simmer for another 10/15 minutes.

Meanwhile, boil a pan of water and cook pasta.

Once pasta is cooked, serve everything together in a bowl. Add a little parmesan cheese on top if you fancy, and enjoy!