Description
Honey pepper chicken panini pasta brings Italian-American comfort to your kitchen with bold, sweet-spicy flavors. Crisp bread, tender chicken, and melted cheese create a perfect meal that satisfies cravings and delivers delightful culinary excitement you’ll crave again.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins:
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Pasta and Flour:
- 8 ounces (226 grams) penne pasta
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
Seasonings and Liquids:
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Submerge chicken pieces in buttermilk, allowing flavors to infuse for half an hour at room temperature.
- Create a seasoned coating by blending flour with salt, ground black pepper, and smoky paprika.
- Remove chicken from buttermilk, thoroughly coat each piece in the spiced flour mixture, ensuring complete coverage.
- Heat olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, then carefully place chicken pieces to fry.
- Cook chicken for 3-4 minutes per side, achieving a golden-brown crust and internal temperature of 165°F.
- Transfer crispy chicken to a paper towel-lined plate, letting excess oil drain.
- In a separate saucepan, melt butter and gently sauté minced garlic until fragrant.
- Pour chicken broth, heavy cream, pure honey, and red pepper flakes into the garlic butter, whisking to combine.
- Simmer sauce for 5 minutes, allowing ingredients to meld and slightly thicken.
- Prepare pasta in salted boiling water according to package directions, cooking until al dente.
- Drain pasta and immediately fold into the creamy honey-pepper sauce.
- Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese into the pasta, stirring until cheese melts smoothly.
- Slice the crispy chicken into strips and arrange artfully atop the cheesy pasta.
- Serve immediately while hot, garnishing with additional red pepper flakes if desired.
Notes
- Create a tender, juicy chicken by marinating in buttermilk for at least 30 minutes, which helps break down proteins and adds incredible flavor.
- Ensure crispy chicken coating by patting the meat dry before dredging and using a mix of flour with balanced spices for maximum crunch.
- Adjust honey and red pepper flakes to control sweetness and spice level, making the dish adaptable for different taste preferences.
- Transform this recipe into a gluten-free version by substituting regular flour with almond or rice flour, maintaining the same delicious texture and taste.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 575 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 620 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 2.5 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg