Chicken Picatta Pasta with Roast Fennel and Bacon

OK... one would think that the bacon should have been listed first, because bacon USUALLY steals the show!

But in this case, the lemony chicken, nutty Parmesan, and the freshness from the roasted fennel and fresh parsley held their own- oh boy.

And the best part?  Mostly stuff I had on hand, with the addition of some chicken. Hope you love it as much as we did... BEST PASTA YET! (Not only did I lick the plate, but this time... I had seconds!)


Chicken Picatta Pasta with Roast Fennel and Bacon

4-5 Boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
1/2 Yellow onion, cut into thin half-moons
Olive oil
1 Bulb fennel, cut into thin half-moons
4 Slices bacon, cooked (I microwave mine until crispy)
1-1/2 c. Rotini pasta, cooked al dente
Juice from 2 lemons
1 c. Chicken broth
3/4 c. Parmesan cheese, shredded
2 Tblsp. Flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Salt, pepper and seasonings of choice (I used Parisien Bonnes Herbes on both the fennel and the chicken, plus 1 tsp. Ruth Ann's Muskego Ave. Seasoning, as my lemons ended up being quite wimpy!)

Sauté the chicken and onions in olive in a large sauté pan and season with salt, pepper and preferred seasonings. Meanwhile, roast the fennel in a 375 degree oven in a rimmed cookie sheet drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt for about 20-25 minutes.

Also, boil the pasta in a small saucepan for about 12 minutes until al dente, and cook the bacon in the microwave.  Drain pasta and set aside.

When the chicken is done, add in the pasta, fennel, lemon juice and chicken broth.  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer for a few minutes to thicken.  Add in more broth as needed.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Then add in the cheese, crumbled bacon and parsley.  Stir to combine, and serve with additional cheese and parsley sprinkled on top.  SIMPLE!