Italian-Style Chicken & Peppers

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 off and discard the bottom 1/2 inch of the broccoli stem; cut the broccoli into small florets. Cut off and discard the stems of the sweet peppers; remove the cores. Halve the peppers lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise. Peel and roughly chop 2 cloves of garlic. Roughly chop the piquante peppers. Thinly slice the chives. 

Place the broccoli florets on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat; arrange in an even layer. Roast 16 to 18 minutes, or until browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven.

While the broccoli 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 a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned chicken and cook 6 to 7 minutes per side, 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, 9 to 11 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 the sliced sweet peppers and chopped garlic (if the pan seems dry, add 1 teaspoon of olive oil). Cook on medium-high, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until softened. Add the chopped piquante peppers, verjus, and ½ cup of water  (carefully, as the liquid may splatter). Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes, or until the liquid has cooked off. Turn off the heat. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired.

To the pot of cooked pasta, add the roasted broccoli, butter, sour cream, and half the reserved pasta cooking water. Cook on medium-high, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes, or until thoroughly combined and 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 finished pasta topped with the sliced chicken and cooked peppers. Garnish with the sliced chives. Enjoy!