Macarrones con Pollo

Apr 12
3 min read

Macarrones con Pollo (Chicken Macarroni)

Time: approximately 1.5 hours

Serving Size: 8 servings

1 whole chicken (3-4 lb.), quartered

1 lb. any macaroni pasta

2 tbsp. cooking oil

1 onion

1 garlic clove

¼ lb. finely diced ham

1 can tomato sauce

½ cup white cooking wine

1 tbsp. vinager

4 cups chicken broth (made with the chicken bones and giblets)

1 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. black pepper

½ cup soft mild cheese (gouda, gruyere, cheddar, etc.)

1/3 cup cracker meal

Prep:

About an hour or two before cooking, quarter the chicken and add the remaining carcass and giblets to a stock pot with about 6 cups water and aromatics to make a both (broth recipe here). Refrigerate quartered chicken until ready to cook.
Shred the cheese
Finely chop the onion and mince the garlic
Preheat oven to 350^oF

Directions:

Place a large pot over medium heat with cooking oil. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
Add the minced garlic, finely diced ham and the chicken. Brown both sides of the chicken, about 2-3 minutes on each side.
Pour in the tomato sauce, cooking wine, 1 cup of the chicken broth, salt, and pepper. Mix until combined and bring to high heat.
Once it begins to boil, bring to medium heat and cover the pot. Cook until the chicken is cooked through and tender (about 20 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165^oF).
Add the remaining 3 cups of chicken broth to another pot and bring to a boil on high heat. Add the macaroni and bring to medium heat. Continue cooking for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until al dente.
Remove the chicken from the sauce. Debone and shred the chicken.
Add the shredded chicken and pasta back into the tomato sauce and stir well.
Pour the pasta into a baking dish and sprinkle the cheese and cracker meal.
Bake until golden and bubbling, about 25-40 minutes.

Notes & Comments:

Quartering the chicken and making the broth is the most time-consuming part of this recipe. Here are a couple of things I would try next time:
- I believe using bullion or store-brought broth would make a good substitute.
- Although it might be a little bit more expensive, buying 2-2.5 lb. pre-quartered, or even just boneless chicken breasts and thighs, would save time and work.
This tasted very good, but I think this be even better with canned crushed or diced tomatoes.
For the coating added before baking, I like to add an additional 1/2 cup of parmesan, and I like to use panko instead of cracker meal for a better crunch. I'm sure regular breadcrumbs would work just as well.
You can add 2 tsp. Ac'cent (MSG) for a flavor boost.
If you do not have fresh garlic on hand, 1/4 tsp. garlic powder works well.

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Receta Original

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MACARRONES CON POLLO

1 pollo de 3 lbs. 1 cda. de vinagre

1 lb macarrones 4 tazas de caldo (se

3 cdas. de aceita hace con los menudos y el

1 cebolla pescuezo)

1 diente de ajo 1 cdta. de sal

1/4 lb. de jamón 1/8 cdta. pimienta

1 lata salsa de tomate 1/2 taza de queso Patagrás

1/2 taza de vino seco 1/3 taza de galleta molida

Prepare primero un buen caldo (aproximadamente 4 tazas) con los menudos, pescuezos, etc., sazonándolo con sal al gusto.

Caliente el aceite y dore en él la cebolla picadita, añádale el jamón en pedacitos y el pollo en cuartos. Déjelo todo unos minutos al fuego. Añádale ajo, tomate, vino seco, una taza del caldo, sal, y pimienta. Cuando rompa el hervor, bájele la llama y déjelo a fuego mediano hasta que el pollo esté blando.

Ponga a hervir las tres tazas de caldo restantes y cuando está hirviendo, añádale los macarrones y déjelos hervir de 10 a 15 minutos hasta que se ablanden.

En lo que hierven los macarrones deshuese el pollo, dejando la masa en la salsa.

Una los macarrones cocinados con el pollo y la salsa. Viértalo todo en un molde. Polvoréelos con queso rallado y galleta. Hornéelos a 350°F hasta que estén doraditos. Aproximadamente 25 minutos. Da 8 raciones.