Louisiana Chicken Pasta and Fried Green Tomatoes

In honor of Fat Tuesday and Mardi Gras my boyfriend Rick and I decided, okay I decided and Rick agreed to try, to make fried green tomatoes and Louisiana chicken pasta.

Typically I make my fried green tomatoes using fresh tomatoes from my backyard vegetable garden, but as it is the middle of winter in Wisconsin nothing is planted or growing. As such, I stumbled upon green tomatoes at the grocery store and couldn’t resist the temptation to bring a little bit of summer to the dinner table. While, I prefer the taste and texture of my homegrown tomatoes, the one from the grocery store was not a bad alternative and provides the benefit of enjoying this treat throughout the year.

To accompany the fried green tomatoes I also made an avocado ranch dip. Easy to throw together and quite a tasty pairing. A more traditional option would have been a buttermilk dipping sauce or remoulade, but since this was going to be our snack as we cooked the pasta dish decided to go with something quicker.

For our entrée we made Louisiana chicken pasta. The first time I tasted this dish was at The Cheesecake Factory some years ago. Immediately after devouring my meal, I knew I had to figure out how to make the dish at home. It has a nice balance of creaminess and spice with the crunch of the fried chicken.

When deciding on the menu for our Mardi Gras/Fat Tuesday themed meal my attempt was to choose dishes that were not too spicy or that could be adjusted to be less spicy without it lacking the balance and taste. This was done in an effort to make sure Rick could also enjoy the meal…not the biggest spiciness fan. This being said you can adjust the spice level for both dishes according to your preference or your guests’ and/or family’s preferences. The recipe below has the original measurements for the spices and then I just adjust from there.

As the dishes were completed, first the tomatoes to power us through cooking the pasta dish, and then the entrée, I was nervous if Rick would enjoy the meal seeing as both, especially the tomatoes, were a little different for him. While he wasn’t the biggest fan of the tomatoes (which just left more for me…no complaints there), he loved the Louisiana chicken pasta!

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Fried Green Tomatoes

Ingredients:

Vegetable Oil
Green Tomatoes (I used one, but the measurements below are for 4)
Salt and Pepper
3/4 cups All-Purpose Flour
1 tablespoon Garlic Powder
4 Eggs
2 tablespoons Milk
1 1/2 cups Panko Breadcrumbs
Pinch of Cayenne
Pinch of Paprika

Directions:

Slice the tomatoes into 1/4 inch rings. Heat the oil to 350 degrees Fahrenheit in a skillet or large sauce pan.

Season the tomatoes with salt and pepper, on both sides. Place the flour and garlic powder in a shallow dish. In another shallow dish, beat the eggs with the milk (I also add some garlic powder and pepper to the mixture). In a third dish, add the breadcrumbs, cayenne and paprika and mix. Dredge the tomatoes through the flour, then eggs and finally the breadcrumbs. Add only a few tomatoes to the hot oil at a time, allowing them to cook evenly. Drain on a paper towel lined plate.

If you want to make the avocado ranch dip that I used, here’s the recipe:

1 avocado, peeled, seed removed and quartered
1/2 cup Ranch Dressing
1/4 cup Fresh Lime Juice
Cilantro, a handful

In a food processor, it can also be done by hand with a fork and spoon, add the avocado, ranch dressing, lime juice and cilantro. Pulse until the mixture becomes a creamy dip, amount of time depends on how ripe your avocado is. Scoop into a bowl and enjoy!

 

Louisiana Chicken Pasta

Ingredients:

For the Chicken:
4 tablespoons Vegetable Oil
6 skinless boneless Chicken Breast Halves
3/4 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
Pinch of Cayenne
Pinch of Paprika
1 tablespoon Garlic Powder
1 cup Milk
2 tablespoons All-purpose Flour

For the Sauce:
1 tablespoon butter
1 small Yellow Bell Pepper, chopped
1 small Red Bell Pepper, chopped
3/4 small Red Onion, chopped
3 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper
1 1/4 pints Heavy Whipping Cream
1 cup low sodium Chicken Broth
4 tablespoons fresh Basil, thinly sliced
1 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
1 package Bow Tie Pasta
Salt and Pepper

Directions:

Sauce: Melt the butter in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bell peppers and onion, sauté until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes.

Add the garlic and crushed red pepper., sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the whipping cream and chicken broth. Simmer until the sauce is heated through and thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.

Add the basil and parmesan cheese, stirring to incorporate. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the sauce reduces and thickens.

Chicken: Pat the chicken breasts dry. Pound until very thin or thinner than 1/4 inch thick (the thinner the better).

Heat the oil in a large frying pan or skillet.

Mix the breadcrumbs, flour, cayenne, paprika, garlic powder and parmesan cheese together in a shallow dish. Place the milk in a second shallow dish.

Dip the chicken in the breadcrumbs, then the milk, then back in the breadcrumbs. Place in the frying pan and fry until golden brown and cooked through. Add more oil as needed. Remove and drain the chicken. Keep warm in the oven (300 degrees Fahrenheit).

Meanwhile, cook the bow tie pasta, to al dente, in a large pot of boiling salted water according to the package directions. Drain and add to the sauce, tossing to coat.

To serve, place pasta with the sauce on a plate and top with a breast or two of chicken. You could sprinkle additional parmesan on top if desired. Enjoy!