Spicy Garlic Pasta With Chicken

Here's a little dish I created last week from whatever we had left in our fridge and cabinets. Basically, this is the type of dish that is born from being a broke-ass college student with champagne taste on a beer budget. 

It was so good that I made it twice in the same week. Why? Because bacon. (Yep. Bacon is a legit reason.)


Yields 4 servings (Or two if you're a champion.)

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces spaghetti (about half a box. Other types of pastas work, too)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2-4 slices of bacon 
• 1 chicken breast, thawed and patted dry
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 tsp chili flakes
• paprika
• cayenne
• salt
• pepper
• freshly grated parmesan

Directions:

1. Generously season chicken with paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Allow to chill in the fridge for about 10-20 minutes.
2. Start a pot of boiling water for the pasta.
3. Over low-medium heat, cook bacon until crispy. Set aside on paper towel to drain. Reserve grease in pan.
4. Cook chicken in the pan with the bacon grease until it is almost fully cooked (The internal temp should be about 145 ish)
5. Remove chicken from pan, but leave the grease.
6. Your water should be boiling. Add the pasta and boil for about 9 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, mince the bacon and slice the chicken into bite-sized medallions.
8. Add garlic to the pan with the bacon grease and sauté until fragrant.
9. Put the chicken back in the pan with the garlic and cook it until it is no longer pink in the center.
10. When the pasta is done, drain it and add it to the garlic and chicken mixture.
11. Toss pasta with oil, bacon, chili flakes, salt, and pepper.
12. Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese.
13. Try not to drool because it's unladylike.