CPK's Chicken Tequila Fettuccine

It's been a long while since I've posted a recipe.

I have a feeling this one will make up for all that lost time.

It is sooo yummy. It's a little spicy, a little tangy, and very filling.

And it can be gluten-free and dairy-free!

CPK's Chicken Tequila Fettuccine

Ingredients:

1 pound fettuccine (or gluten-free fettuccine, in my case)

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 tsp. minced garlic

2 jalapeños, chopped fine

4 T. unsalted butter

1/2 cup chicken stock

2 T. tequila (or 2 more T. lime juice)

4 T. freshly-squeezed lime juice

1/2 cup soy sauce (or gluten-free tamari or amino acids)

1.5 lbs. chicken breast, diced

1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced

4 T. heavy cream (or coconut creamer if dairy-intolerant)

Lime wedges and cilantro for garnish

(Official instructions at the end of post)

Start out with about a bunch of this...

a.k.a. best herb God created (cilantro).

Chop about 1/2 cup of it, or more if you like it as much as I do.

Then take two of these guys

and chop them, seeds and all,

until they look just about like this.

Now's a good time to start boiling a pot of water for the fettuccine.

Here are the other ingredients you need at this point: butter, chicken stock, garlic.

Throw in 2 T. butter into a large saucepan and sauté cilantro, chopped jalapeños, and garlic.

Let it simmer for several minutes.

In the meantime, dice some raw chicken breast. This was about 1.2 lbs. and was plenty, though the recipe calls for 1.5 lbs. Pour soy sauce over chicken and let it soak for about 5 minutes.

Thinly slice 1/2 red onion.

And 1 yellow bell pepper and 1 red bell pepper.

In another saucepan, throw in the other 2 T. butter and the peppers and onions and let them cook down.

They'll sweat a little.

Then they'll be nice and caramelized. Yummy.

To the large saucepan with cilantro, add chicken stock, tequila, and lime juice. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until reduced to a paste-like consistency; set aside.

Now add the marinated chicken and cream and bring to a boil.

You'll let the chicken cook and the sauce thicken, then add your sautéed veggies and toss with fettuccine.

Garnish with a lime slice and cilantro and you've got a gorgeous, delicious meal!

Wanna see the finished product?

It's every bit as good as it looks.

Best with yummy ginger ale and a lime wedge (in our opinion). :)

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan (and they mean large!), cook cilantro, garlic and jalapeño in 2 T. butter over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, until wilted. In a second pot, boil water for fettuccine.

2. In a sauté pan, begin sauteing the peppers and onion in 2 T. of butter over medium heat until soft.

3. To the large saucepan with cilantro, add chicken stock, tequila, and lime juice. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until reduced to a paste-like consistency; set aside.

4. Pour soy sauce (or tamari or amino acids) over diced chicken; set aside for 5 minutes. Add to saucepan, along with cream and bring to boil. Cook until chicken is no longer pink and sauce is thick, about 5 minutes. Add sauteed veggies to sauce mixture and toss with cooked fettuccine. Garnish with lime and cilantro.