I have a tiny box of saffron. It’s precious because well, saffron is not the most expensive spice in the world for no reason! It takes 250000 flowers to make a pound (about 450g) of saffron, so it is no wonder that it is so expensive!
Today I wanted to cook a one-pot pasta. As you know, it is one of my favorite ways to get dinner on the table. I had some chicken as well as a pack of bacon in the fridge. So chicken and bacon pasta it was!
The saffron imparts a subtle flavor to the dish – I can’t fully describe it but it is delicious! You just have to make this to understand what I mean.
And here are the instructions on how to cook this.
In a jug or bowl, steep the saffron in warm chicken stock (See my notes on chicken stock here.) As the saffron steep, the liquid will turn golden.
In a casserole, brown the diced chicken breast (in batches) in a little olive oil. Once brown, remove the chicken from the casserole and set aside.
In the same casserole, cook the bacon until crispy. Remove and set aside.
In the same casserole, add a little more olive oil. Saute the onion and minced garlic until the onion is soft.
Add the mushroom and saute for about 2 minutes, until slightly wilted.
Add white wine (if using), or a little chicken stock. Using a spatula, gently scrape the bottom of the pan to dislodge the brown bits of flavor.
Add the remaining chicken stock and cream (or milk) and bring to a boil.
Add the penne (or the pasta of your choice) and reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until the pasta is al dente.
I prefer asparagus to be barely cooked so I add the asparagus at this stage. If you prefer asparagus that is cooked through, add them with the pasta.
Cook a further 5 minutes (the liquid will thicken).
Turn off the heat, and top with chopped Parmesan, Italian parsley and black pepper. Serve immediately.
This was so good, the LAM ate it straight from the casserole. How is that for a one-pot dinner? 😀
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- 500g chicken breast, skin removed and diced
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 100g bacon, sliced
- 150g mushroom, sliced
- 150g asparagus, chopped
- 1/2 cup (120ml) white wine (optional - replace with same quantity of chicken stock if not using white wine)
- 3/4 cup (180ml) cream
- 3/4 cup (180ml) low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 pinch saffron
- 250g pasta - I used penne
- 1 bunch Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- Black pepper, to taste
- Salt, to taste
- In a jug or bowl, steep the saffron in warm chicken stock. As the saffron steep, the liquid will turn golden.
- In a casserole, brown the diced chicken breast (in batches) in a little olive oil. Once brown, remove the chicken from the casserole and set aside.
- In the same casserole, cook the bacon until crispy. Remove and set aside.
- In the same casserole, add a little more olive oil. Saute the onion and minced garlic until the onion is soft.
- Add the mushroom and saute for about 2 minutes, until slightly wilted.
- Add white wine (if using), or a little chicken stock. Using a spatula, gently scrape the bottom of the pan to dislodge the brown bits of flavor.
- Add the remaining chicken stock and cream (or milk) and bring to a boil.
- Add the penne (or the pasta of your choice) and reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until the pasta is al dente.
- I prefer asparagus to be barely cooked so I add the asparagus at this stage. If you prefer asparagus that is cooked through, add them with the pasta.
- Cook a further 5 minutes (the liquid will thicken).
- Turn off the heat, and top with chopped Parmesan, Italian parsley and black pepper. Serve immediately.
Thank you! Love your simple yet delicious receipts.
Where can I get the saffron? Thank you.
most supermarkets carry it. It will be with the other spices.