American•quick

Cilantro Lime Chicken Pasta

A quick lunch or dinner fix that is tangy and so delicious!

Ingredients

Quantities are shown as originally provided.

1 lb spaghetti
salt
4 tbsp olive oil
3/4-1 lb chicken breast (cut into bite sized pieces)
4-5 cloves garlic (crushed)
1/2-1 tsp chilli flakes
1 tbsp all purpose flour
1 1/2 cup chicken stock ((or 3/4 of a stock cube))
1/4-1/2 cup cream
zest of one lime
2-3 tbsp lime juice (2 limes )
3/4-1 cup shredded cheese - monterey jack, parmesan, mild cheddar or any combinationn
3 tbsp chopped cilantro
salt, freshly cracked pepper, red chilli flakes, red chilli powder (for seasoning )
salt
pepper

1
Bring a generous amount of water to boil and add a few fat pinches of salt
2
Pop in the spaghetti
3
Season the chicken pieces well with salt, pepper, and a tiny pinch of cayenne (red chilli powder)
4
Cook the chicken pieces in a hot skillet in the olive oil for about 2 minutes on each side on medium high heat - they should be golden brown and cooked through
5
Remove the chicken, turn down the temperature and then add the garlic and chilli flakes
6
Sprinkle on the flour and cook for a minute to take away the raw smell
7
Then whisk in the chicken stock, the lime zest, cream (start with 1/4 cup) and some freshly ground pepper
8
Bring to a boil and simmer till it thickens a little
9
Add the chicken pieces and 2 tbsp lime juice to the sauce.
10
Drain the pasta when it's cooked through making sure to reserve a cup of pasta water
11
Add the sauce to the cooked spaghetti, stir to coat.
12
Now stir in the cheese, tossing the pasta frequently as you add it. It should melt into the pasta fairly quickly, add a splash of pasta water and additional cream to loosen the sauce if needed
13
Cook on medium heat stirring frequently until the sauce is a consistency you like. If it thickens too much then add more pasta water.
14
Add the cilantro, mix lightly and then taste the pasta - adjust seasoning with remaining lime juice, salt, pepper and chilli flakes
15
Serve immediately