Whipped ricotta one pot chicken pasta

• servings: 4 servings
• active time: 10 minutes
• total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

500g/1 lb chicken thigh fillets (, cut into small bite size pieces (or breast or tenderloin)

1/2 tsp cooking salt/kosher salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

220g/ 7 oz jar sun-dried tomato stripes in oil (, drained (RESERVE OIL) (Note 1)

3 tbsp oil (from the sun dried tomato jar)

1 small onion (, finely diced)

2 garlic cloves (, finely minced)

1 tbsp tomato paste (ok if you don't have)

1/4 cup dry white wine (, optional (Note 2)

400g/14 oz canned crushed tomato

350g / 12oz fusilli pasta (spirals) (, penne, ziti, macaroni, small shells or similar, uncooked)

1 litre / 4 cups chicken stock/broth (, low sodium (sub water plus 1/2 tsp salt)

1/4 tsp cooking salt/kosher salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 cup basil leaves (, roughly chopped, can survive without, plus extra for garnish)

1/2 cup ricotta (Paesanella is my preferred brand), full fat)

4 tbsp milk (, preferably full fat)

1/4 cup (packed) finely grated parmesan (, sub pinch of salt)

Directions

Whipped ricotta - Put the ingredients in a bowl. Whisk vigorously for 10 to 15 seconds until it becomes the texture of softly whipped cream. Add milk to loosen, if needed.

Seal chicken - Heat sun dried tomato oil in a large heavy based pot over high heat. Add the chicken. sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook for 3 minutes until the outside is sealed but the inside is still raw. Remove with slotted spoon into a bowl.

Sauté - In the same pot, add the onion and garlic. Cook for 3 minutes until the onion is translucent. Add the tomato paste and oil drained sun dried tomatoes (reserve any remaining oil for another use). Cook for 1 minute.

Deglaze - Add white wine and let it simmer rapidly for 1 - 2 minutes, stirring regularly, until mostly evaporated.

Cooking liquid - Add pasta and cooked chicken along with any juices accumulated in the bowl. Stir to coat in all the tasty flavours. Add the stock, canned tomato, salt and pepper.

Cook 15 minutes - Give it a good stir, let it come to a boil then lower the heat to medium high so it's simmering rapidly but not boiling like crazy. Cook for 15 minutes (no lid), stirring every 2 minutes or so at first then more regularly towards the end, so the base doesn't catch. Lower the heat a touch towards the end, if needed.

How to tell it's done - Most of the liquid should be absorbed and the pasta should be just cooked (al dente), though still a little soupy (that's good, it gets absorbed quickly while serving). Stir in the basil.

Serve - Transfer into a serving bowl or divide between bowls. Dollop the whipped ricotta on top then randomly smear (or let everyone do that themselves), it will get all melty. Dig in!

Nutrition

• Calories: 647 kcal
• Total Fat: 34 g
• Saturated Fat: 9 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 21 g
• Trans Fat: 0.1 g
• Cholesterol: 106 mg
• Sodium: 1624 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 67 g
• Dietary Fiber: 5 g
• Total Sugars: 6 g
• Protein: 34 g