Chicken tequila

by Mongol

This is one of my signature dishes. The was a time when I couldn't visit my parents without being asked to make this! The next time I make it, I'll be sure to take pictures.

Ingredients

For 6 servings, you will need:

• 1 pound pasta (Personal Favorites: Cavatappi, Farfalle, Penne, Rotini)
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped jalapeno pepper
• 1/2 cup chicken stock (homemade, if you've got it)
• 1/4 cup tequila (nothing too fancy, I usually use an unaged silver tequila, or "tequila plata", but you can use whatever tequila you have lying around)
• 3 tablespoons lime juice (freshly squeezed is best, but I've been known you get my juice from a bottle from time to time)
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into cubes
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 1/4 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 medium green bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Romano cheese

Usually, I will double the recipe because this stuff is even better the next day.

Procedure

• Cook pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain and set aside.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and jalapeno, and saute until soft. Pour in chicken stock, tequila, and lime juice. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until the mixture is reduced to a paste, about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure it is not sticking. Note - The 15 minutes that the paste cooks is not a strict time requirement. I usually just cook the paste until I'm ready to incorporate it into the rest of the dish. This is sometimes more and sometimes less than the 15 minutes.
• While the sauce is cooking, place the chicken in a bowl, and pour soy sauce over it. Melt remaining butter in a skillet, and saute the onion, red bell pepper and green bell pepper until soft. Remove vegetables, and set aside.
• Add oil to the skillet, and cook the chicken over medium-high heat until lightly browned. Pour in the sauce and heavy cream, and add the peppers and onions. Bring to a boil, and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in Romano cheese and cilantro. Taste and adjust seasonings if desired. Serve immediately over cooked pasta.