Aglio Olio with Chicken

Literally garlic and oil this dish is inspired by the excellent Aglio Olio served up by Scott's on Ward in Hamilton. It is sold as a takeaway meal kit that you put together yourself from their pre measured ingredients. I don't know what their secret recipe is but this comes pretty close. Along with the spiced meatball dish below this is definitely on my all time top ten favourite meals and if you're looking for a quick and simple dish it doesn't come much quicker and simpler than this. The recipe below will serve two.



A very large handful of flat leafed Italian parsley
5 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
A heaped teaspoon of chilli flakes (more if you like the heat)
3 tablespoons of good extra virgin olive oil
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
Spaghetti for two

Heat a little oil in a pan and start to cook your chicken breast on a fairly high heat. Cook until well browned and then turn. Don't poke at the chicken or play with it just put it in the pan and turn once. When both sides are well browned remove the breast from the pan and slice lengthways through the breast (imagine you have a slice of lemon and you are making 2 thinner slices, this is how to slice the chicken) and then return to the pan to brown the newly exposed sides. When the chicken is done remove from the pan and rest (not you, the chicken!) while you cook your spaghetti. While the spaghetti is cooking whiz the garlic, parsley, oil and chilli flakes together in a food mixer or with a whiz stick (we use a Black and Decker mini food mixer for this, very handy). Slice the chicken. Drain the spaghetti and then return to the pan, add the herb/garlic/oil/chilli mixture and the sliced chicken and mix so that the spaghetti and chicken are well coated. Serve as it is or with Parmesan.