Walking on Water, Episode 2- Rainbow

Hey people! Here’s an introduction to the Chronicles of Dania project.

The theme of this week’s episode is Freedom, and it also happens to be the week Nigeria celebrates freedom from colonial rule- talk about happy coincidences! 59 years post-independence though (October 1st, 1960 is the exact date), I can’t help but wonder- are we really free? Are you?

The dish we feature is a very quick and easy Chicken Alfredo Pasta. It’s my go-to for a delicious, satisfying dinner when I’ve had a long day deserving of great food with minimal effort. Want to know how this dish relates to freedom? Watch the video above, and don’t forget to subscribe so you get new episodes as they drop!

You can also catch up on the previous episode here: Walking on Water S01E01- Lemon.

Chicken Alfredo Pasta

Ingredients

• 8 ounces dried fettuccine
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into strips
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon Cameroon pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil oil
• 6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (90g), plus more for serving
• Coarsely chopped fresh parsley leaves, for serving

Directions

1. Cook the pasta, drain, and reserve cooking water. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fettuccine and cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
2. Season the chicken strips with salt and pepper with 3/4 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the black pepper.
3. Cook the chicken for 5 to 7 minutes. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat and then add the chicken. Cook until golden brown, then transfer to a plate.
4. Melt the butter and sauté the garlic. Add the butter to the same pan used for the chicken and place over medium heat until melted. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
5. Make the Alfredo sauce. Whisk in the cream, Parmesan, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, Cameroon pepper and any other seasoning you like. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. If the sauce is too thick, add some of the reserved pasta cooking water, a few tablespoons at a time, to thin it out.
6. Add the drained pasta and toss to coat in the sauce. Add the drained fettuccine to the sauce and toss to coat. You can add the chicken at this stage to coat as well, or simply add it when the dish has been served.
7. Serve the pasta unto dishes and and garnish with parsley, more grated parmesan, and black pepper if desired.
8. Enjoy immediately!

A quick note on cooking:

I’m given to cooking by intuition as opposed to strictly following recipes, and I’d encourage you to do the same. Feel free to switch up this, or any of the other recipes in different ways. You can maybe use a different type of pasta, switch chicken breasts with shrimp (or use both!), or even add some freshly ground peppers for a flavour and heat kick. Free yourself and enjoy!