Roast your chicken on angel hair pasta for a 2-in-1 meal! The drippings make a great sauce for the pasta.
If you’ve ever seen a roast chicken slowly turning on a spit – my local supermarket has several at a time – you’ve seen the tray under the birds to catch the drippings. These drops are gold!
Now imagine these chickens roasting over a casserole dish filled with noodles: all of that bird’s juices would drip into the noodles, giving them an incredibly delicious roasted flavor.
This idea of roasting meat on top of other ingredients is actually an age-old technique, when individual families didn’t have their own ovens and chefs would take pans of meat or poultry and whatever went with it to the local baker to bake in the big bakery roast oven. This approach inspired this recipe.
I’ve fried chicken over every veg, fruit, and starch imaginable, but I especially love angel hair because the noodles are so absorbent and act like a sponge for the cooking juices.
First boil the thin strands in boiling water, drain and arrange in a casserole dish. Add canned tomatoes for a little color and flavor, then top with chunks of chicken.
As the chicken cooks, the juices from both the chicken and tomatoes seep into the angel hair, forming a rich, savory nest that you can slice with the edge of a spoon or knife. The pasta stays tender, but the threads along the edge of the mold become appealingly crispy.
I like to roast whole legs (thighs attached to drumsticks) and breasts large enough to make two servings. I prefer to use bone-in chicken because it’s juicier and flavorful – perfect for basting the pasta while cooking.
You can also roast a whole chicken, but make sure you sear it first so it cooks quickly and is ready at the same time as the noodles.
To serve, cut the large pieces of chicken into smaller individual portions. Use a large spoon to scoop some pasta onto the plates, then top with chicken. A green salad on the side is all you need to make it a full meal.
More One Pan Chicken Recipes!
- Crispy chicken drumsticks with curry and wilted greens
- Skillet Chicken Puttanesca
- Basque-style chicken with peppers and olives
- Fried chicken with bok choy
- Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas with Peppers and Onions
Fried Chicken on Angel Hair Pasta
I can buy nests of fresh angel hair pasta at my grocery store, which I love for this dish. If you find something similar at your grocery store, give it a try! The cooking times are the same.
Another name for angel hair pasta is capellini; Both are fine in this recipe.
Look for chicken thighs (thighs and drumsticks attached) at the meat counter in your grocery store. If you can’t find them, buy two drumsticks, bone and skin, and two drumsticks, or buy a whole chicken and grill it before roasting.
ingredients
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1 lb angel hair paste
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6 tablespoon olive oildivided
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1 (15 ounces) can diced tomatoes with their juices
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1 teaspoon kosher Saltdivided
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1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepperdivided
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1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
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2 tablespoon chopped Fresh oreganodivided
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2 whole chicken Legs (thighs and drumsticks attached), attached to the bone (1 1/2 lb total)
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2 big Chicken breast Halves, on the bone (1 1/2 pounds total)
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1 branch fresh oreganoLeaves removed for garnish
method
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Cook Angel Hair:
Bring a saucepan of salted water to a boil over high heat and cook the angel hair al dente, about 4 minutes. Drain noodles.
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Transfer the pasta to the casserole dish:
Use 1 tablespoon olive oil to coat the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish. Using tongs, place the noodles in the casserole dish.
If you wish, turn the pasta in several small “niches” in the bowl. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil evenly over the pasta and set the dish aside.
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Preheat the oven:
Preheat oven to 400°F.
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Cook tomatoes:
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the tomatoes and their juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, red pepper, and 1 tablespoon oregano.
Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Distribute the tomato mixture evenly over the nests; they are not fully covered.
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Add the chicken:
Rub the chicken skin with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
Place the chicken skin side up on the nests. Sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of oregano.
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Roast the chicken:
Transfer the bowl to the oven and roast the chicken for 45 to 60 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast and thigh reads 165°F. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes.
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Cut and serve the chicken:
Cut the legs in half to get 2 thighs and 2 drumsticks (you can do this right in the bowl). Halve the breasts horizontally. Break up the angel hair with a metal spoon or knife. Serve the chicken pieces with some pasta on the bottom.
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 578 | calories |
| 29g | Fat |
| 37g | carbohydrates |
| 41g | protein |
