Pasta Marrakech with Chicken from Pasta & Garlic Low Fat Recipes that Work

Pasta Marrakech with Chicken from Pasta & Garlic Low Fat Recipes that Work
Serves 4
Pasta
Fusili or spiral shaped pasta of your choice
3/4 pound dried or 1 pound fresh
Sauce
8 cloves garlic, minced Hint Mama Raps Chopped Garlic for fast and easy useage
3 tablespoons, ginger root, peeled and grated
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves chopped
1/2 cup fat free chicken stock
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
6 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into thin bite sized pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup oil cured black olives, pitted and coarsely chopped Most peopl love olives but Charlie leaves them out
ground nutmeg, to taste
Advance Preparation - 30 minutes
Prepare a sauce by combining garlic, ginger, cilantro, mint, chicken stock, lemon juice, honey, cumin, paprika, cornstarch, and pepper flakes. Mix thoroughly and set aside. Cut Chicken into bite sized pieces and place into a plastic zipper lock freezer bag. Add 3 tablespoons of the sauce mixture, seal, shake well and allow chicken to marinate at least 1/2 hout but its best up to 8 hours in the refrigerator. Pit and chop olives.
Ingredients may be prepared up to 8 hours in advance if refrigerated.
Final Preparation - 15 minutes
1. Cook pasta in plenty of rapidly boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and reserve.
2. While the pasta cooks, preheat a large stir fry pan or skillet over high heat. Add olive oil. When oil gives off a wisp of smoke, add chicken and stir fry until it loses its raw outside color.
3. Add reserved sauce, olives and cooked pasta directly to the pan. Reduce heat to medium and stir and toss gently until everything is evenly combined and heated all the way through. Serve immediately striaght from the pan. Dust a little nutmeg over each serving at the table.
Nutrition Data
Calories 638
Calories from Fat 16.1%
Total Fat 11.5 g
Saturated Fat 1.7 g
Cholesterol 53 mg
Sodium 632 mg
Carbohydrates 101 g
Dietary Fiber 3.3 g
Protein 34 g

10 Commandments for Preparing Perfect Pasta from Pasta & Garlic Low Fat recipes that work

The 10 Commandments for Preparing Perfect Pasta

1. Thou shalt not answer thy telephone while cooking pasta.
You will jeopardize commandment #VII
2. Thou shalt cook thy pasta in a large pot.
Your pasta will cook evenly and tatse better if cooked in lots of water. Use at least 6 quarts of water ( in an 8 quart pot) per pound of pasts.
3. Thou shalt always start with cold water.
Starting with cold water ensures that your pasta won't pick up and off tastes from your hot water heater
4. Thou shalt cook thy pasta in rapidly boiling water.
Your pasta will get mushy otherwise.
5. Thou shalt salt thy pasta water.
Pasta cooked in unsalted water tastes bland. Use 1 to 2 tablespoons salt per gallon of water.
6.Thou shalt frequently stir thy pasta while cooking.
Your pasta will cook evenly and wont stick together if stirred at regular intervals.
7. Thou shalt not overcook thy pasta.
Overcooked pasta tastes mushly, lacks flavor and texture, and falls apart. Pasta shluld be cooked " AL DENTE" or to the tooth meaning that its tender but still firm.
8. Thou shalt not time thy pasta.
Listed cooking times are approximate. There are too many variables that make timing virtually impossible to do accurately and consistently. Instead, frequently test your pasta for doneness by biting into a strand during the last minutes of cooking. When it is " AL DENT" drain immediately.
9. Thou shalt prepare thy sauce before cooking thy pasta.
Always make sure your sauce is ready( or will be ready) the moment your pasta is done. Adding it to the pasta immediately ensures that your pasta wont stick together in a hopeless clump. Once sauced, serve immediately.
10. Thou shalt not rinse thy pasta after cooking.
The two exceptions are 1) if the pasta is going to be used in a cold pasta salad, or 2) If you accidently overcooked the pasta(probably as a result of not heeding commandment #1) and need to stop the cooking process in a hurry.