Chicken in Fennel-Cream Sauce with Penne Recipe

Level: Easy

Servings: 4 servings

Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes

Active Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

Chicken:

• One whole chicken, about 4 pounds
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 carrots, quartered
• 2 celery stalks, quartered
• 1 lemon, sliced
• 1 large onion, quartered, with root end attached
• Several black peppercorns
• A few sprigs of fresh rosemary
• A few sprigs of fresh thyme
• Salt

Pasta:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 1 medium fennel bulb, thinly sliced
• 1 head spring garlic or hardneck garlic, cloves peeled and sliced thin
• 1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup heavy cream
• Salt and ground white pepper
• 1 pound penne pasta

Garnish:

• 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
• Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• Chopped fennel fronds
• Chopped fresh tarragon

Instructions

1. Poach the chicken: Nestle the whole chicken in a large pot with bay leaves, quartered carrots and celery, lemon slices, onion quarters (root end attached), peppercorns, rosemary, thyme, and salt. Cover with water, bring to a boil, then simmer gently for 1 hour. Cool slightly, shred the tender meat into bite-sized pieces, discard skin and bones, and strain the flavorful brothreserve it for the sauce!
2. Prepare the pasta sauce: In a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt butter with olive oil. Add thinly sliced fennel, garlic, and sweet onion. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until meltingly soft and sweet, 20-25 minuteskeep them from browning. Deglaze with white wine, scraping up any tasty bits.
3. Blend the softened veggies with heavy cream and 1 cup reserved chicken broth until silky smooth. Return to the pan, season with salt and white pepper, and simmer 10-15 minutes to thicken. Fold in one-third of the shredded chicken for irresistible flavor.
4. Cook the pasta: Boil penne in salted water to al dente perfection. Reserve some pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed, then drain and toss pasta into the creamy mixture until every strand is coated.
5. Serve: Twirl pasta onto plates and shower with toasted pine nuts, freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, fennel fronds, and tarragon. Dive into this cozy, restaurant-worthy dish tonight!

Make ahead? Cool chicken and sauce, refrigerate, then reheat gently over medium-low.

Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray