Best Paccheri Pasta With Braised Chicken And Saffron Cream Recipes

BRAISED LEMON-SAFFRON CHICKEN AND POTATOES

Braised Lemon-Saffron Chicken and Potatoes image

In this comforting braise, bone-in chicken and potatoes slowly cook in a lively lemon-saffron bath until the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender and the potatoes are soft and full of flavor. Most of the work in this one-pot dinner happens in the oven, so you can rest or multitask as it cooks. Serve it with rice and spoon the pan juices over top, or with toasted pita to soak up the rich, lemony broth. The whole peppercorns taste delicious and soften in both texture and flavor during the cooking process, but if they are too strong for you, leave them out or crack them before cooking. Leftovers are even better the next day, on top of a salad or tucked into a sandwich.

Provided by Yasmin Fahr

Categories dinner, poultry, main course

Time 1h45m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 9

Ingredients

1 heaping teaspoon saffron threads
2 tablespoons hot (not boiling) water
3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken parts, preferably thighs and drumsticks
1/2 pound yellow or red baby potatoes
3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 4 to 6 lemons)
1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns (optional)
Cooked rice or toasted pita, for serving

Steps:

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Using a mortar and pestle (or the bottom of a spoon and a bowl), grind the saffron threads into a powder as best you can. Add the 2 tablespoons hot water and stir to combine. Set aside.
Place the chicken in a 9-by-13-inch roasting pan or baking dish. Cut large potatoes into 1-inch pieces and add to the pan. Drizzle the chicken and potatoes with the oil, then season well with salt and pepper.
Add the lemon juice to the saffron water, mix to combine, then pour over the chicken and potatoes, stirring to coat. Arrange the chicken skin-side down. Sprinkle evenly with the whole black peppercorns, if using, then cover tightly with foil. (It's OK if everything is close together.)
Cook until the meat is tender and easily pulled from the bone, and the potatoes are soft, about 1 1/2 hours. During the last 15 minutes, remove the foil, flip the chicken, stir the potatoes and cook for 15 minutes more, uncovered, to reduce some of the liquid.
Season with black pepper and serve with rice or pita to soak up the lemony juices.

PACCHERI PASTA WITH BRAISED CHICKEN AND SAFFRON CREAM

Paccheri Pasta with Braised Chicken and Saffron Cream image

Provided by Isaac Becker

Categories Milk/Cream Chicken Pasta Braise High Fiber Dinner Saffron Bon Appétit Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free

Yield Makes 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 12

Ingredients

2 1/2 to 2 3/4 pounds chicken thighs with skin and bones
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped white onions
6 garlic cloves, peeled, crushed
2 cups dry white wine
1 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed
2 cups (or more) low-salt chicken broth
1 pound paccheri (giant rigatoni) or regular rigatoni
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons (or more) fresh lemon juice
2/3 cup chopped fresh basil
Ingredient info: Paccheri is available at markethallfoods.com.

Steps:

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, skin side down, to skillet and cook until golden, about 7 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to plate. Add onions and garlic to drippings in skillet; sauté until onions are slightly softened, 7 to 8 minutes. Add wine and saffron to skillet; bring to boil. Continue to boil until liquid is thickened and reduced by less than half, about 8 minutes. Add 2 cups chicken broth to skillet. Return chicken to skillet; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover; simmer gently until chicken is very tender (adjust heat to prevent boiling and turn chicken over after 30 minutes), about 1 hour total. Transfer chicken to plate and cool.
Reserve skillet with juices. Remove skin and bones from chicken and discard. Tear chicken meat into bite-size pieces; place in medium bowl and reserve.
Cook pasta in pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain; return to pot.
Meanwhile, spoon off fat from juices in skillet; discard fat. Add cream to juices in skillet and boil until sauce is reduced to 2 1/2 cups and is thick enough to coat spoon, about 10 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons lemon juice, then chicken pieces. Stir over medium heat until heated through, adding more broth by 1/4 cupfuls to thin sauce as needed and adding more lemon juice by teaspoonfuls, if desired, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add chicken mixture to pasta in pot and toss to coat. Stir in basil. Transfer pasta to plates.
What to drink:
Serve a floral, fruity white, like the Montinore Estate 2008 "Almost Dry" Riesling (Oregon, $12).