Adapted from Maryann Esposito
Ingredients:
1 lb mushrooms, quartered
4 oz pancetta or bacon, diced
1 large Vidalia onion, sliced
½ pound fennel (bulb only), sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup dry red wine
1 cup chicken stock
1-2 tablespoons fresh sage leaves, chiffonade
½ cup all purpose flour
Kosher salt, pepper, garlic powder
1 lb chicken tenders, cut into bite sized pieces, tendon removed
4-6 Tbsp unsalted butter
Extra virgin olive oil
1 pound linguine
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar, optional
Directions:
1. Sauté mushrooms in 2 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Don’t stir until the mushrooms begin to brown. Stirring them will prevent them from getting color and building that extra level of flavor. Once they start to soften, season with salt and they give off liquid. Cook until liquid evaporates. Stir in ½ cup of wine. Increase the heat to high and boil until most of the wine evaporates; remove and set aside. Wipe out pan and return it to stove top.
2. In a large plastic food storage bag combine flour, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Add the pieces of chicken, close the bag and shake to coat in flour.
3. Melt 2 tbsp of butter and 2 tbsp of oil in the sauté pan. Brown the chicken in batches (if necessary) over medium heat; remove; set aside.
4. Sauté the pancetta in the pan drippings until it begins to brown. Add the onion and fennel and cook until the onion softens and fennel begins to brown. Stir in garlic and cook 2-3 minutes more. Increase heat to high and stir in remaining wine and sage. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up the brown bits that have stuck to the pan. When wine begins to evaporate add about ½ cup of chicken stock. Let sauce reduce and add more stock if you want more liquid. Return the mushrooms and chicken to the pan and stir. Lower heat to medium-low and cover. Let chicken simmer for 10-15 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
5. Meanwhile, cook linguine in a large pot of salted boiling water. When pasta is al dente drain and add the remaining butter to the pot (optional) toss pasta in butter to coat and add about ½ cup romano cheese and toss. Toss pasta with half the sauce and chicken and add the remaining chicken and sauce to top the pasta in each plate.
