Spaghetti with Chicken Fra Diavolo and Mushroom Trifolati

Ingredients

• – 2 pounds chicken breast, diced

• – 8 ounces button mushrooms, thinly sliced

• – 4 fresh tomatoes, cored and diced

• – 1/2 small onion, diced

• – 1 jalapeno or serrano chili pepper, diced (optional)

• – 4 cloves fresh garlic, minced

• – 2 tablespoons parsley, minced

• – 1/3 cup + 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

• – 1 1/2 cups tomato puree

• – 2 teaspoons crushed red chili pepper

• – 1/2 cup white wine

• – 1 pound spaghetti prepared according to the manufacturer’s instructions

• – Fresh arugula

• – Salt

Directions

1. Prepare the water for the spaghetti according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

2. In a large pan, over medium high heat, add the olive oil, jalapeno and diced onion. Sauté for 3 – 5 minutes or until the onion begins to turn translucent.

3. Add 2/3 of the minced garlic to the pan and sauté for 1 – 2 minutes with the onion and olive oil. Then add the white wine to the pan and stir the ingredients well to combine. Simmer, covered for 5 – 7 minutes until the wine has almost evaporated from the pan.

4. Add the diced chicken breast to the pan along with the sliced mushrooms and sauté for 8 – 10 minutes until the chicken is begins to brown and the mushrooms have cooked down. Then add the diced tomatoes to the pan along with the tomato puree, 1 cup fresh water and the crushed red chili pepper; mix all ingredients well to combine and then cover the pan and simmer the sauce for 15 – 20 minutes – stirring every few minutes to ensure the sauce does not stick or cook too quickly. If the sauce becomes too thick, add water as necessary to thin to the desired consistency.

5. In the meantime, prepare the trifolate by mixing the 3 tablespoons of olive oil, the minced parsley and the remaining 1/3 of the garlic in a small bowl. Then set aside.

6. Add the spaghetti to the boiling water and cook according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

7. When the sauce has reached the desired consistency, taste and add salt as necessary. Remove the pan from the heat.

8. Drain the pasta thoroughly and add it to a serving dish. Pour the sauce over the spaghetti along with the trifolate mixture and combine all ingredients well so that the sauces coat all of the pasta. Garnish the dish with fresh arugula and serve immediately.