ROAST CHICKEN AND GARLIC PASTA WITH TOASTED ALMONDS

This recipe is without a doubt my favourite pasta!  Roasted garlic, juices from a roast chicken, crispy chicken skin, toasted almonds …… what is not to love!!

I made this dish for a friend on a visit to Houston and it is my understanding that her kids ask for this quite often.  It means one thing …..winner!!!  It so happens that it is my husbands favourite dish as well, so I hope you all enjoy it as much as we do.

To get a crispy skin all over the chicken, I have used a chicken roaster.  Basically a contraption that allows you to roast the chicken upright.

Bon appetit!

You’ll need

  • +/- 1,5kg whole chicken
  • 2 Tbsp x extra virgin olive oil for the chicken
  • 2 tsp x extra virgin olive oil for the garlic
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper for seasoning
  • 4 sprigs x fresh thyme (1 for the garlic, leaves of the balance for the pasta)
  • 150g x sliced almonds
  • ½ cup chopped flatleave parsley
  • 500g spaghetti/linguine or tagliatelle
  • 1 large x garlic bulb or 2 medium sized bulbs
  • ½ cup x grated Parmesan cheese or to your own taste

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 210ºC.
  2. Cut the top end off the garlic bulb and place on a piece of foil. Drizzle 2 tsp olive oil over the head and sprinkle with sea salt, place a sprig of thyme on top and wrap tightly in the foil.
  3. At the same time, rub the chicken with 2 Tbsp olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place on a chicken roaster or in ovenproof dish. (If you don´t have a chicken roaster, turn the chicken over towards the end to get a lovely brown crispy skin all over)
  4. Place both the garlic and chicken in the oven at the same time and roast for 15 minutes at 210ºC, reduce the heat to 180ºC and roast for a further 45 minutes.
  5. Remove from the oven and let it cool until you are able to handle the chicken.
  6. Whilst the oven is still going, place the sliced almonds on a baking tray with parchment paper and toast at 180ºC for about 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let it cool.
  7. Back to the chicken and garlic. Squeeze the garlic from the skins and set aside.
  8. Remove the skin from the chicken, chop it up into smaller pieces, set aside.
  9. Pull the chicken meat apart into bite-size pieces.
  10. Prepare your pasta, salting the water well. Once you have reached the al dente stage, remove about 1 cup of pasta water and pour the rest into a colander and wash the pasta with cold water to prevent it from sticking.
  11. Using the same pot, pour all the roasting juices from the chicken into your pot, add the remaining thyme and heat over medium high heat. Add your chicken and roasted garlic and the reserved pasta water. Let it cook through for about 2 minutes. Add your pasta, toasted almonds and chopped parsley, toss until well combined.
  12. Place in a serving dish and sprinkle over the parmesan cheese.

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