Chicken Cacciatora-Style Sauce With Fresh Orecchiette

Before you begin...

Get all your ingredients and equipment ready

Skim through these steps, then wash your fruit and veg

Take your chicken out of the fridge, open the packet and let it air

Note: Equipment and pan sizes vary. Make sure you cook food thoroughly (even if it takes you a little longer than 10 min)

Now, let's get started!

Boil a kettle

Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) with a drizzle of olive oil over a high heat

Once hot, add your diced chicken thigh and cook for an initial 3-4 min or until starting to brown

Meanwhile, peel and slice (don't chop!) your garlic

Peel and slice your shallot[s] finely

Deseed your pepper[s] (scrape the seeds and pith out with a teaspoon) and cut into thin strips

Add your fresh orecchiette to a pot of boiled water and bring to the boil over a high heat

Cook the orecchiette for 4-6 min or until cooked with a slight bite

Once done, drain the orecchiette, reserving a cup of the starchy pasta water

Once the chicken has browned, add the sliced garlic, sliced shallot and pepper strips to the pan with a pinch of salt and pepper

Cook for a further 3-4 min or until the vegetables are beginning to soften

Once the vegetables have softened, add your balsamic sun-dried tomato paste to the pan with your tomato paste, chicken stock mix and 150ml [200ml] [250ml] reserved starchy pasta water

Stir it all together and cook for 4-5 min further or until the sauce thickens slightly

Once the sauce has thickened, add the drained orecchiette and a knob of butter to the pan

Give everything a good mix up until the pasta is coated in the sauce and the chicken is cooked through (no pink meat!) – this is your chicken cacciatora-style sauce with fresh orecchiette

Tip: Add a splash of starchy pasta water if your sauce is looking a little dry