Garlic-Caper Chicken & Creamy Fettuccine

Remove the ghee from the refrigerator to bring to room temperature. Place an oven rack in the center of the oven, then preheat to 450°F. Fill a large pot with salted water; cover and heat to boiling on high. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Cut out and discard the core of the cauliflower; cut into small florets. Peel and roughly chop 2 cloves of garlic. Halve the tomatoes. Grate the Grana Padano on the small side of a box grater. In a bowl, combine the ricotta, cream (shaking the bottle before opening), half the grated Grana Padano, and as much of the chile paste as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be. Season with salt and pepper. 

Place the cauliflower florets on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat; arrange in an even layer. Roast 19 to 21 minutes, or until lightly browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven.

While the cauliflower roasts, pat the chicken dry with paper towels; season on both sides with salt, pepper, and the oregano. In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat the ghee on medium-high until melted. Add the seasoned chicken, skin-side down. Cook 6 to 7 minutes, occasionally pressing down with a spatula, or until the skin is browned and crispy. Flip and cook 6 to 7 minutes, or until browned and cooked through. Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer to a cutting board.

While the chicken cooks, add the pasta to the pot of boiling water. Cook, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente (still slightly firm to the bite). Turn off the heat. Reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, drain thoroughly and return to the pot.

To the pan of reserved fond, add a drizzle of olive oil; heat on medium-high until hot. Add the capers and chopped garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until lightly browned. Turn off the heat.

To the pot of cooked pasta, add the halved tomatoes, roasted cauliflower, ricotta mixture, and half the reserved pasta cooking water. Cook on medium-high, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes, or until the pasta is coated (if necessary, gradually add the remaining cooking water to ensure the pasta is thoroughly coated). Turn off the heat. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Slice the cooked chicken crosswise. Serve the sliced chicken over the finished pasta. Top the chicken with the garlic-caper topping. Garnish with the remaining grated Grana Padano. Enjoy!