EPT![[image loading]](http://i1.squidoocdn.com/resize/squidoo_images/590/draft_lens18089584module151097620photo_1309072304DSC_0023.jpg)
Diet is important, but cooking however can take forever. But like Starcraft, dieting and cooking require some skill to execute. Don't be a chobo and "cheese" your dinner with fast-food or cup-o-noodle. Treat your body right by cooking right with this easy recipe. If you can 4-gate you can cook this dish.
Skills Needed and Learned in this Recipe
Here is a short list of the basic skills you will need or learn during this recipe.
How to start stove fire, crack an egg, measure amounts of ingredients, oil a pan, boil water, chop vegetables.
How to season chicken with salt, pepper and garlic.
How to cook spaghetti al dente or semi firm.
How to plate spaghetti.
How to cut cooked chicken.
How to bread and fry breaded chicken.
If you don't think you can handle any of these basic cooking skills maybe you should do some research on the ones you're unsure of before starting to cook. Last thing you want to do is blank out.
Ideally you should practice making this dish several times with friends or family. Try cooking a taste batch without plating for some of your co workers, get feedback on the tastes. It is crucial they are brutally honest.
Ingredients List
Boneless Chicken Breast 1 per serving
1 Egg per 2 Breasts
2/3 cups of Bread Crumbs per Chicken Breast.
Clean Water
Salt and Pepper 1-2 tablespoon per Breast
Garlic, 1 clove per Breast.
Spaghetti Noodles (I use Costco Brand)
Spaghetti Sauce (I use Ragu Marinara)
Garnishing (cilantro, sesame leaf, whatever you prefer)
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TIP: If you do not have bread crumbs a GREAT alternative is grinding up Cheerios into a powder/crumb. I actually experimented a little with the Cinammon Cheerios and it tasted interesting.
Tools List
2 Pots
1 Pan
1 Knife
1 Plate for Cooking
1 Bowl
1 Chopping Board
1 Spoon
1 Set of Measuring Cups
Food Preparation
Prepared up to 24-48 hours before cooking.
The Night Before
Seasoning the Chicken
The night before you want to take your boneless chicken breasts/tenders in a mixture of about 1 tablespoon salt, 1 tablespoon pepper and 1 crushed garlic per breast and put it all in a ziploc bag. There should be some meat juices creating a sparse coating over the breasts, if there is no juice add 1/8th cup of water to help it season. Put the meat in your refrigerator over night, this process is called brine-ing. It is OK if you get caught on short notice, you do not need to brine them over night, you can just take your water/juice, salt, pepper and garlic and put them in a tub together with the chicken breast and using a fork poke a couple dozen holes on each side of the breast thats 6-7 stabs on each side.
15-30 Minutes Prior to Cooking
Prepare the Bread Crumbs on a plate.
Prepare the Eggs, crack them into a bowl and whip them into an even mixture. You can choose to take out yolks if you're watching cholesterol/fat.
5-10 Minutes Before Cooking
Start boiling your water at about 10minutes before. Add 2 tablespoons of salt to the water if you like your noodles firm.
Take your breasts out of the brine, dip them in the egg mixture and make sure they get completely covered in egg.
Take the breasts out of the egg and put them on the plate with breadcrumbs. Make sure both sides get well coated with breadcrumbs.
Put your marinara sauce from the store in a pot and start simmering it about 5 minutes before on low. Make sure to check every 3-4 minutes and stir.
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Cooking the Meat
1. Turn on the stove to high, oil the pan moderately, take the chicken out of the bread crumbs and straight onto the pan.
2. After 10-15 seconds on one side, flip it. This is to even out the oil to both sides so they both fry, If you keep it on one side, only one side soaks up oil and fry. Turn the stove down from high to medium/medium high (enough to hear a very faint sizzle).
3. After you put the meat on the pan, you should put your spaghetti noodles into your boiling water. Remember to check on noodles every 3-4 minutes and stir.
4. After cooking one side til golden brown (about 5-6 minutes) flip and cook the other side til brown.
5. After meat is cooked, put on chopping board and let it cool for a couple of minutes. Meanwhile you should check for your spaghetti noodles to finish cooking. Taste a noodle to check how firm it is. Cook to your liking.
6. Once your spaghetti has finished cooking, immediately dump it into a strainer and rinse it with cold water. This will make sure it does not continue cooking while you finish the rest of the components. You should turn off the stove for the sauce at this point as well.
7. Cut your cooked meat into slices, preferably bite size slivers. You can choose to keep the breast whole but for the plating style I chose today I cut them into 1/4 inch slices.
8. At this point you should have sauce, noodle and meat done and ready to plate.
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Plating
1. Take the noodles, straighten them in your hand and place them on a plate in a nest-like layout.
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2. Add any garnish and place chopped meat along the top of one side of your spaghetti bowl.
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3. Drizzle hot sauce in middle of spaghetti nest, covering the meat partially, it's your choice to let the sauce overflow and drip out of the bowl.
4. When finished, serve and enjoy. Impress and smile in pride at your accomplishment! Snap a picture!
. I will definitely try this recipe out sometime. Thank you master chef for sharing this!
