HOT & COLD SUMMER SPAGHETTI

Prep: 30 minutes     Cook: 15 minutes    
Serves: 4 - 6

A chilled sauce of tomato, garlic, feta, fresh herbs, olive oil and chicken is poured over piping-hot spaghetti to create an explosion of vibrant Mediterranean flavours. You can make this unusual dish with ready-roasted chicken if you’re in a hurry – see Papa Grandé’s Tips, below.

Ingredients

  • 6 skinned, deboned chicken breasts
  • a thin slice of lemon, peel on
  • 1 cup (250 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/3 cup (80 ml) white wine vinegar
  • 4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
  • 2 tsp (10 ml) Dijon mustard
  • 2 cups (500 ml) cherry tomatoes, halved
  • a small bunch of chives or spring onions, finely chopped
  • 1 cup (250 ml) black olives
  • 1½ cups (375 ml) cubed feta cheese
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) capers, drained
  • 1 cup (250 ml, loosely packed) flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup (250 ml) fresh basil, roughly chopped, plus extra to garnish
  • 1 x 500 g pack Pasta Grandé Spaghetti
  • 1 tsp (5 ml) salt
  • 4  litres water
  • freshly ground black pepper

Method

  1. Place the chicken breasts in a pot, cover with water and add a pinch of salt and the slice of lemon.
  2. Turn the heat to low and bring the water to a very gentle simmer. Once you see bubbles, poach the chicken breasts for about 10-12 minutes, or until just cooked through but still very tender. Alternatively, you can oven-poach them (see Papa Grandé’s Tips, below).
  3. Remove the pan from the heat and set the breasts aside to cool to in their cooking liquid. Discard the lemon slice once they’ve cooled.
  4. Put the olive oil, vinegar, garlic and mustard into a large mixing bowl and whisk well. Stir in the tomatoes, spring onions, olives, feta cheese, capers, basil and parsley.
  5. Drain the chicken breasts, cut into slices and add them to the mixing bowl, along with half a cup of the cooled poaching liquid. Cover and place it in the fridge to marinate for 30 minutes.
  6. Bring the water and salt to a fast boil in a large pot. Add all the pasta in one go and stir to separate the pieces. Briefly cover the pot with a lid until the water comes back to a rapid boil.  Cook, uncovered, stirring now and then, for 6-8 minutes, or until just tender (al dente).
  7. Drain the pasta in a colander and tip it into a serving platter. Immediately pour the cold sauce over the hot pasta, tossing well so the heat releases the flavours.
  8. Season to taste with salt and black pepper and serve right away, with a garnish of extra basil leaves.
 Papa Grandé’s Tips
  • If you’re in a hurry, used a torn-up ready-roasted chicken instead of poached breasts.
  • Chicken breasts can also be poached in water in the oven – place in a ceramic dish, add a lemon slice and a pinch of salt, cover with hot water and bake in an oven preheated to 180 °C for about 30 minutes, or until just cooked through.
  • Don’t marinate the chicken for too long, or the olive oil will solidify in the fridge.
  • For extra zing, add a teaspoon of dried chilli flakes.
  • 6 skinned, deboned chicken breasts
  • a thin slice of lemon, peel on
  • 1 cup (250 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/3 cup (80 ml) white wine vinegar
  • 4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
  • 2 tsp (10 ml) Dijon mustard
  • 2 cups (500 ml) cherry tomatoes, halved
  • a small bunch of chives or spring onions, finely chopped
  • 1 cup (250 ml) black olives
  • 1½ cups (375 ml) cubed feta cheese
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) capers, drained
  • 1 cup (250 ml, loosely packed) flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup (250 ml) fresh basil, roughly chopped, plus extra to garnish
  • 1 x 500 g pack Pasta Grandé Spaghetti
  • 1 tsp (5 ml) salt
  • 4  litres water
  • freshly ground black pepper
  1. Place the chicken breasts in a pot, cover with water and add a pinch of salt and the slice of lemon.
  2. Turn the heat to low and bring the water to a very gentle simmer. Once you see bubbles, poach the chicken breasts for about 10-12 minutes, or until just cooked through but still very tender. Alternatively, you can oven-poach them (see Papa Grandé’s Tips, below).
  3. Remove the pan from the heat and set the breasts aside to cool to in their cooking liquid. Discard the lemon slice once they’ve cooled.
  4. Put the olive oil, vinegar, garlic and mustard into a large mixing bowl and whisk well. Stir in the tomatoes, spring onions, olives, feta cheese, capers, basil and parsley.
  5. Drain the chicken breasts, cut into slices and add them to the mixing bowl, along with half a cup of the cooled poaching liquid. Cover and place it in the fridge to marinate for 30 minutes.
  6. Bring the water and salt to a fast boil in a large pot. Add all the pasta in one go and stir to separate the pieces. Briefly cover the pot with a lid until the water comes back to a rapid boil.  Cook, uncovered, stirring now and then, for 6-8 minutes, or until just tender (al dente).
  7. Drain the pasta in a colander and tip it into a serving platter. Immediately pour the cold sauce over the hot pasta, tossing well so the heat releases the flavours.
  8. Season to taste with salt and black pepper and serve right away, with a garnish of extra basil leaves.
 Papa Grandé’s Tips
  • If you’re in a hurry, used a torn-up ready-roasted chicken instead of poached breasts.
  • Chicken breasts can also be poached in water in the oven – place in a ceramic dish, add a lemon slice and a pinch of salt, cover with hot water and bake in an oven preheated to 180 °C for about 30 minutes, or until just cooked through.
  • Don’t marinate the chicken for too long, or the olive oil will solidify in the fridge.
  • For extra zing, add a teaspoon of dried chilli flakes.

Related Hint

Hot & Cold Summer Spaghetti

For extra zing, add a teaspoon of dried chilli flakes or some finely chopped fresh chillies.

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