Pasta with chicken, greens, and chickpeas
Pasta with chicken, greens, and chickpeas is a mouthful, literally and figuratively. It’s also lacking in originality. But pasta with chicken, greens, and chickpeas compensates for its unwieldy name and creative lack with flavor and lots of fiber, our new best friend chez IK.
The ingredients for pasta with chicken with greens, chicken, and chickpeas, tucked into Pyrex storage. Just because.
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So, pasta. Many of you will notice the spiral pasta shape used here is poorly suited to the dish. This because I was unable to leave the house to shop for the correct pasta shape (or anything else, for that matter). In the future, I’ll make this dish with penne or another tubular shape.
Young, soft greens require no cooking beyond stirring them into freshly drained pasta–useful for days when time is short or disaster upends dinner plans.
The parsley and basil–more healthy greens–came from our yard. If you haven’t this amenity, the dish will work without it.
The chickpeas are jarred. Yes, dried chickpeas are better, but I’ve been the merest bit distracted lately, meaning buying dried beans, much less soaking and cooking them, hasn’t been, as people say “front of mind.” Do know these chickpeas are imported from Italy, sold in fancy glass jars, and cost more than metal cans. Evidently this is supposed to make the buyer feel somehow better about not buying dried.
Pancetta and chicken? Well, since you ask, John lost a lot of weight while hospitalized, so when I asked if he wanted chicken and pancetta, and he said yes, I wasn’t about to argue. Your pasta can have one, the other, or neither. I won’t be bothering you about it, I promise.
The pancetta photos were not that great.
I used two large garlic cloves. This should come as no surprise. Besides, garlic is antimicrobial and gut healthy and all that. Not a fan of garlic? Minced shallot or green onion are gentle substitutes.
Life is too short for fake cheese. To that end, grate a wedge of Parmesan or buy high quality pre-grated parmesan from your market. Yes, real Parmesan costs more. But you can purchase parmesan in small amounts, and it lasts for months in the refrigerator.
On to lemon juice. Yes, “to taste” is an annoying remark–rather like front of mind–but do I know how much lemon you like? If the answer is “none,” a few drops of red wine vinegar will do the trick. Shake them into a small dish or bowl first, and drizzle from there. That way the entire bowl of pasta isn’t ruined. Learn from my mistakes.
Serve pasta with greens, chicken, and chickpeas with a green salad, if you are so inclined, or a tomato salad, if you are trying to rush the season along (hi!). Cucumbers are coming in now, and they always make a lovely side salad. Good bread never goes amiss.
See the recipe, below, for variations. Pasta can prepared countless ways, and this dish is no exception.
John continues recovering from diverticulosis and attendant hemorrage. His recovery is slow but steady.
We’re both exhausted. Anyone who has spent time in the hospital, either as a patient, family member, or friend, understands how physically and emotionally grueling hospital stays are.
Thank you for reading, and for your patience while I fell off the edge of the earth.
Pasta with Chicken, Greens, and Chickpeas
Serves: 2-4
Preparation time: This recipe assumes you are using cooked beans, boneless chicken, and quick-cooking greens like baby spinach or early lettuce. With these ingredients, pasta with chicken, greens, and chickpeas comes together in about 20 minutes.
A note about the greens in this dish: baby spinach or other soft, young greens like lamb’s lettuce or those bagged baby salad greens we all pretend not to buy are what you want here.
16 ounces/2 cups/500 grams dried pasta, preferably penne or shell-shapes
salt, for cooking the pasta
generous 2-3 tablespoons good olive oil
1-2 garlic cloves, crushed and roughly chopped
approximately 2 tablespoons pancetta, minced
One 8 ounce/227 gram boneless skinless chicken breast or thigh, cut into chunks
4 ounces/1/2 cup/115 grams cooked chickpeas, fava beans, or cannelini beans, well rinsed
approximately 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, roughly chopped
approximately 2 tablespoons fresh basil, roughly chopped
about 16 ounces/2 cups/500 grams baby spinach or other baby salad greens, washed
fresh lemon juice, to taste
salt and pepper, to taste
freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Bring the chicken to room temperature before cooking.
Prepare the pasta:
Fill a large pot with water and salt it generously. Bring to a rolling boil. Add the pasta. Cook according to package directions.
While the pasta cooks, prepare the chicken, beans, and greens.
Place the saute pan over medium low heat and add the olive oil. Add the garlic cloves. You want them to warm through without browning. If they start browning, turn the heat down.
After a couple minutes, add the pancetta. Stir. Give it a couple minutes so the fat begins to run. Add the chicken and beans. Stir. Salt and pepper lightly.
The pan’s contents should simmer gently. If everything is going gangbusters, turn the heat down a bit.
We’re going to talk about cooking the greens now, because you have a choice about how to do it.
The first way is to add the greens to the chicken pan, and continue cooking.
The second way is to add the greens to the drained pasta.
To add greens to the drained pasta, take a measuring cup and very carefully scoop some pasta water from the pot. Set aside.
When the pasta is ready, move the pot to a cool burner. Quickly strain the pasta, adding it right back to the pot. Pour the reserved water into the pasta, along with the spinach, parsley, and basil. Stir well.
Is one method any better than the other?
Frankly, I like adding the greens directly into the pasta. I won’t lie and say I have any reason to think the end result is any better one way or the other. Am I J. Kenji Lopez Alt? Do I have America’s Test Kitchens at my disposal? No and no. So do what you like, okay?
Whatever you do, be careful. Do not burn yourself and sue me. I have enough problems, and you probably do, too.
Returning to the chicken. Make sure it’s done by slicing into a piece. It should slice easily, and there should be no pink.
Taste for chicken seasoning: add salt and pepper if necessary. Squeeze lemon juice over the pan. If the pan is dry, add more olive oil, white wine, chicken or vegetable broth (be mindful of salt, if you choose this option), or even just plain water.
Once the pan of chicken is ready, carefully tip the contents into the pasta pan. Stir to combine.
Pasta with Chicken, Greens, and Chickpeas goes nicely with salad and bread. It keeps, refrigerated, up to four days. Do not freeze.
Pass Parmesan cheese at the table.
Notes:
Pasta with chicken, greens, and chickpeas may be prepared using bone-in chicken, dried beans, and sturdy greens like collards, beet greens, or kale. Bear in mind these ingredients all require more prep, especially the beans, which need overnight soaking and pre-cooking, which can take 2-5 hours, depending on the bean type and its freshness (or lack thereof). The result will be good, if slightly different from the recipe presented above.
Every ingredient in pasta with chicken with greens, chicken, and chickpeas may be substituted. Use penne pasta or shells instead of spirals. The greens can turn into zucchini, eggplant, tomato, beans, or a mixture of vegetables. Remove the cheese, chicken, and pancetta for a vegan dish. Those wanting additional protein can add firm diced tofu or soy-based cheese products. Omnivores can exchange chicken for ham, diced lean pork, or diced charcuterie.
Not fond of chickpeas? Pasta and white beans get along famously. At this time of year (I write on the last day of May 2024) fresh black-eyed peas are available. They’re a terrible hassle to shuck, but well worth it. If you can find any, take advantage of their fleeting season.
Fava beans are here, too, and like bacon, go with nearly everything.
It is officially the season of gorgeous fruit.
