Chicken Florentine Pasta and Florentine cuisine some history
Tuscan food is simple and abundant with local produce, mellow cheeses and grilled meats. Tuscans are also known for their appreciation of beans as seen in the staple of the Tuscan table: white beans cooked with sage and olive oil. Beef Steak Florentine, many versions of roasted or wine-braised game such as boar, deer and rabbit and thick and hearty soups cover the table of a typical Tuscan meal. Plus this is the home of Chianti wine.
The recipes in Florentine cookery range from the original and traditional to more recent arrivals and innovations. Such a wide and occasionally unusual choice of dishes has not only provided some fascinating historical and social information, but the assortment and variety of flavours, colours, customs and costs suited to all pockets, also offers a style of cooking which is lively and flexible.
At the heart of Florentine cookery lie four fundamental ingredients: bread (plain, unsalted, well-baked with a crispy crust and light and airy inside); extra-virgin olive oil, without any doubt the best even for frying, grilled meat; Florentine steaks of beef, roasted or wine-braised game such as boar, deer and rabbit and lastly, wine itself.
Florentine restaurants serve all the Italian specialities, not just the ones typical of Florence and here is a brief guide to some of those Tuscan meals.
EQUIPMENT YOU NEED
pasta pot (or any large pot for boiling pasta)
collander
knife
large skillet
cooking spoon or tongs
vegetable peeler
Chicken Florentine Pasta
Recipe from thepioneerwoman.com
Prep Time 10 Minutes
Cook Time 20 Minutes
Servings 8-10
Difficulty Easy
Ingredients
- 1 pound Penne
- 4 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
- Salt And Pepper, to taste
- 2 Tablespoons Butter
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 4 cloves Garlic, Minced
- ¾ cups Dry White Wine
- ¾ cups Low-sodium Broth, More If Needed
- 1 bag Baby Spinach
- 2 cups Grape Tomatoes, Halved Lengthwise
- 4 ounces, weight Parmesan Cheese, Shaved With Vegetable Peeler
Preparation Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions in lightly salted water. Drain and set aside.
- Cut chicken breasts into chunks and sprinkle on salt and pepper.
- Heat butter and olive oil over high heat in a large skillet. Add chicken chunks in a single layer and do not stir for a minute or two in order to allow the chicken to brown on the first side. Turn the chicken and brown on the other side. Cook until done, then remove chicken from the skillet.
- Turn heat to medium. Add garlic and quickly stir to avoid burning. After about 30 seconds, pour in wine and broth, stirring to deglaze the pan. Allow the liquid to bubble up, then continue cooking until it’s reduced by at least half (most of the surface of the liquid should be bubbling at this point.)
- Turn off the heat. Add spinach, tomatoes, chicken, and cooked pasta to the skillet. Toss to combine; the spinach will wilt as you toss everything. Add plenty of Parmesan shavings and toss to combine.
- Serve with extra Parmesan shavings.
