I’m a big fan of one pot/pan meals. Fewer dishes, less chaos, and dinner still feels intentional? Sign me up. When a friend mentioned this Chicken Fennel Pasta, I immediately put it on the list—and it’s stayed there ever since. This is a lighter, broth-based pasta where chicken actually pulls its weight, backed up by fennel, lemon, and fresh herbs. It’s comforting without being heavy, and if you use whole wheat pasta, you can feel slightly more virtuous about going back for seconds.
One Pot Meals
For this recipe I’ve used two different approaches:
Stainless Steel Pan
For this recipe a stainless steel sauté pan works well. You need enough space to contain braising liquid and cook pasta. You’ll want to use one with a thick base to provide a more even heat.
Dutch Oven
I’ve also adapted this recipe for a whole chicken. In this case I used a large Dutch oven – specifically this 6.75 quart enameled one here.
What Pasta Should I Use?
For this Chicken Fennel Pasta recipe I recommend a short, spiraled pasta. The shorter pasta will be easier to submerge in the braising liquid and the textures help the sauce adhere to the walls of the pasta. As an added bonus it’s just easier to eat than a long type like fettuccini or spaghetti. My top preference is a corkscrew shaped pasta like a cavatappi, fusilli, rotini or gemelli. For a full guide to pastas I recommend this site.
Chicken Fennel Pasta
Equipment
- 1 Mandoline for slicing optional
- 1 Stainless steel or enamel pan, deep walls
Ingredients
- 2 Fennel Bulbs thinly sliced
- 1 Yellow Onion thinly sliced
- 2 Rosemary Sprigs chopped
- 3 Cloves garlic chopped
- 3 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 Lemmon
- 2 Chicken Quarters (thigh + drumstick) bone-in with skin
- 1 cup White Wine dry
- 2 cups Chicken Stock
- 8 oz Pasta whole wheat
- 3 oz Parmesan or Romano Cheese
- 1 tbsp fresh basil chopped
- Salt, Pepper, and Red Pepper flakes to taste
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley and fennel to garnish
Instructions
- Chop the stems off fennel, cut in half, and remove the core by placing two triangular cuts at the base of the bulb. Slice the fennel and onion into thin slices using a Mandoline or knife.
- Finely chop the sprigs of rosemary and cloves of garlic. Place into a small bowl and zest the lemon. Add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes and top with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and mix to combine. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 375°F
- Rinse and pat dry the chicken before seasoning with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. In a cold pan, pour in 1 tablespoon of olive oil then place each chicken thigh into the pan. Make sure each piece is thoroughly coated in the oil.
- Crank the heat up to medium-high, season the other side of the chicken with salt and pepper, and let the chicken sit undisturbed for about 3-6 minutes. Flip the chicken thighs over and cook for 1 minute on the bottom side before removing from heat and setting aside.
- Using the fat from the pan, sauté the sliced onion and fennel over medium heat for about 3-4 minutes until softened and slightly brown. Make a small well in the center of the pan then add in the herb and spice paste. Sauté on the direct heat of the pan for about 1 minute before mixing into the surrounding vegetables.
- Sauté for 1-2 minutes before deglazing with white wine, chicken stock and the juice of the zested lemon. Scrape up all the fond off the bottom of the pot and bring to a bare simmer.
- Return the chicken thighs to the pan, skin side up. Make sure the skin is not submerged below the liquid. Place the pan into a preheated 375°F oven for 30-40 minutes. Let the chicken braise until the liquid has reduced by about a third and the thighs have cooked through.
- After removing from the oven, set the thighs aside and heat braising liquid over medium-high heat on the stove. Once simmering, add in 8 ounces of whole wheat pasta. Lower the heat to keep it at simmer. Stir every few minutes until the pasta is cooked.
- Add grated cheese and stir to combine. Add in a handful of chopped basil and stir again. Return the chicken thighs to the pot and garnish with parsley and fennel leaves.
