Recipe: California Pizza Kitchen Tequila and Lime Chicken with Fettuccine

TEQUILA AND LIME CHICKEN WITH FETTUCCINE

1 pound dry spinach fettuccine (or 2 lbs fresh)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (2 tbsp reserved for garnish)
2 Tbsp minced fresh garlic
2 Tbsp minced jalapeno pepper (eliminate seeds and veins if milder flavor desired)
3 Tbsp unsalted butter (reserve 1 tbsp per saute)
1/2 cup chicken stock (preferably homemade)
2 Tbsp gold tequila
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 1/4 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced 3/4-inch
1/4 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 medium yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 medium green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

Prepare rapidly boiling, salted water to cook pasta; cook until al dente, 8-10 minutes for dry pasta, approximately 3 minutes for fresh pasta. Pasta may be cooked slightly ahead of time, rinsed and oiled and then "flashed" (reheated) in boiling water to coincide with the finishing of the sauce.

Cook 1/3 cup cilantro, garlic and jalapeno in 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat for 4-5 minutes. Add stock, tequila and lime juice. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until reduced to a pastelike consistency; set aside.

Pour soy sauce over diced chicken; set aside for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile cook onion and peppers, stirring occasionally, with remaining 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. When the vegetables have wilted, add chicken and soy sauce; toss and add reserved tequila-lime paste and heavy cream. Bring the sauce to a boil; boil gently until chicken is cooked through and sauce is thick (about 3 minutes).

When done, toss with well-drained spinach fettucine and reserved 2 tablespoons cilantro.

Serve family style or transfer to serving dishes, evenly distributing chicken and vegetables.

Makes 4-6 servings
Source: California Pizza Kitchen Cookbook by Larry Flax and Rick Rosenfield

Enjoy!