It’s time to drag that heavy Dutch oven out from your pot and pan collection to make this unique, Spanish-inspired pasta dish.  Perfect for a relaxed Sunday evening meal, this pasta recipe starts with a searing of chicken thighs, then the addition of a carrot, onion, celery and tomato mixture that is cooked until caramelized.  To deglaze the pan, you then a splash of Madeira wine and chicken stock.  The chicken is then added back to the pan and the dish braises in the oven until the meat if as tender as possible.  Before finishing the sauce with a pat of butter, the dried figs and tarragon, you strain the solid vegetables from the sauce to extract all of their flavors.  A lovely sprinkling of chopped almonds and Manchego cheese rounds out this pasta’s unique Spanish flavorings.

(To view this recipe, click on the following link: http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/tagliatelle-with-braised-chicken-and-figs)

Tagged: almonds, braised chicken, braised meat, braising, chicken, chicken pasta, chicken stock, chicken thighs, dried figs, fettucine, fresh tarragon, Italian, Madeira, Manchego cheese, Parmesan cheese, pasta, Spanish, tagliatelle, tarragon