If you’re craving pasta but after something a little more celebratory of spring, this chicken ragu with white wine, fennel and broad-beans will satisfy those cravings! Highlighting chicken, this ragu wont take you all day to cook but you’ll still be rewarded with a comforting and velvety sauce. It's just as good on mash as it is on pasta. Feel free to double the recipe.
Heat large fry pan on medium heat and once hot, add in the bacon and cook until golden. Remove from pan.
Pat the chicken chops dry and season with salt and pepper and place in fry pan, skin side down. Cook the skin until crispy and then turn and cook for another couple of minutes. Set aside.
Turn the heat to medium-low and cook the leaks, garlic and fennel for 5 mins until cooked but not too coloured.
Add in the white wine and deglaze the pan and cook for 2 minutes.
Return the chicken and bacon back to pan and cover with 250-300ml water.
Add thyme and bring to a boil, before reducing to a simmer. Cook covered for 30 mins on low heat or until the chicken is fork tender.
Remove chicken from pan and shred with 2 forks and discard bones and skin.
Cook pasta until al dente and save 1/2C pasta water.
Add milk and bring to a simmer, cooking until the sauce has slightly thickened. Stir to avoid the sauce from sticking.
Return shredded chicken to pan, along with the broad-beans and stir through and cook for 3 minutes.
Add in pasta and some pasta water to loosen.
Serve with plenty of freshly grated parmesan, black pepper and some parsley if you wish.
