Chicken Tequila Fettuccine

Chicken Tequila Fettuccine is an Italian classic recipe blended with Mexican-Spanish flavors. It’s an easy recipe for juicy Tequila-marinated chicken with fettuccine pasta covered in a tequila-lime-cream sauce. Every bite is delicious, and the best part? This restaurant-quality dish can be made from the comfort of your own home.

This recipe can be prepped and cooked in about 45 minutes, and the flavors are deep and rich. The sauce is used both to prepare the chicken and to pour over the fettuccini, giving it a nice consistent creaminess. With vegetables, chicken, and pasta, this one-dish meal is filling, flavorful, and even customizable. You can add any additional toppings you like, such as sliced green onions or asparagus.

The recipe we’re sharing below calls for jalapeño peppers, but if you’re preparing this meal for kids or you want a more mild version, you can skip it. Likewise, if you want a spicier version, leave the seeds in the jalapeños and enjoy that extra heat.

To make this recipe a vegetarian version, you can simply omit the chicken and substitute veggie stock for chicken stock. The cream sauce and veggies will still be delicious and filling.

Be sure to check our notes below the recipe for recommendations on preparing the sauce.

Ingredients

• 1 pound dry spinach fettuccine (or 2 pounds fresh)
• 1/2 cup cilantro chopped (2 tablespoons reserved for garnish/finish)
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic
• 2 tablespoons minced jalapeño pepper (seeds and veins may be eliminated if a milder flavor is desired)
• 3tablespoons unsalted butter (reserve tablespoon per saute)
• 1/2cup chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons tequila
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 1/2pounds chicken breast diced 3/4 inch
• 1/4cup red onion thinly sliced
• 1/2cup red bell pepper thinly sliced
• 1/2cup yellow bell pepper thinly sliced
• 1/2cup green bell pepper thinly sliced
• 1 1/2cups heavy cream

Directions:

Pasta Preparation

• Prepare rapidly boiling, salted water to cook the pasta, and cook until al dente. For dry pasta, this will take about 8 to 10 minutes; for fresh pasta, this will take about 3 minutes. For another option, the pasta may be cooked slightly ahead of time, rinsed, and oiled, and then “flashed” (reheated) in boiling water to coincide with the finishing of the sauce.

Sauce Preparation

• Cook 1/3 cup of cilantro, minced garlic, and chopped jalapeño in 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes.
• Next add the chicken stock, tequila, and lime juice. Bring the mixture to a boil, and cook until it’s reduced to a paste-like consistency. Then set it aside.

Chicken Preparation

• Pour soy sauce over the diced chicken, and set it aside for 5 minutes to marinate.
• Meanwhile, cook the onion and peppers with the remaining butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

Combining Sauce and Chicken

• When the vegetables have wilted (become limp), add the chicken and soy sauce marinade. Toss the chicken and veggies together, and add the reserved tequila/lime paste and cream.
• Next, bring the sauce to a boil. Boil it gently for about 3 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thickened.

Plating Chicken Tequila Fettuccine

• When the sauce is done, toss it with the well-drained spinach fettuccine and reserved cilantro.
• Spoon a portion of fettuccine into a bowl, and place the chicken on top. Drizzle additional sauce, if you’d like.
• For an optional garnish and a nice crunch, add about 1/2 cup of crisp corn tortilla strips to the salad.

Notes:

• Be sure when you cook the sauce and chicken that you thoroughly cook them so that the sauce thickens and eliminates the raw chicken flavor. This also helps to boil out the alcohol from the Tequila.
• Don’t allow the sauce to boil for too long.
• You can use any vegetables you have on hand. Just toss them in the Tequila-lime cream sauce, for a consistent flavor.
• If you want to cook a vegetarian dish, simply omit the chicken, and use veggie stock instead of chicken stock.
• Make sure the Tequila tastes ok by pouring yourself a shot first!
• For more pasta dishes you can make at home, check out our Olive Garden Alfredo Recipe.

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