This Mediterranean vegetable stew with chicken and pappardelle will put you in a good mood, for sure. The delicious aroma and flavor of well-seasoned eggplant and zucchini fill the room and cling to the wide pappardelle ribbons. Together with the chicken, burrata, pine nuts, and basil, they create a symphony of flavors and textures in your mouth. Pure joy, pure health.

How to make Mediterranean vegetable stew with chicken and pappardelle?

The great advantage of Mediterranean cuisine is that it's not only delicious and healthy, but also very simple to prepare. This Mediterranean vegetable stew with chicken and pappardelle is certainly no exception on this rule!

The preparations

The preparatory work is very straightforward. Just a bit of vegetable chopping, and if needed, cutting the chicken into strips or cubes. That's all there is to it.

We start with the shallots. We cut off the ends and then halve them. This makes it very easy to remove the skin. After that, we make a few cuts and then chop the shallots into small pieces.

Next, we crush the garlic cloves with the flat side of a kitchen knife. This loosens the skin and slightly breaks the structure. Once the skin is removed, we chop the garlic cloves into small pieces.

Now it is time for the chili pepper. Remove the stem and then cut the chili into rings. If you're worried about spiciness, you can first cut the chili lengthwise and remove the seeds. After that, you can chop the red flesh into small pieces.

Next is the zucchini. After washing it, we remove the ends. Then we halve or quarter it lengthwise. Now, cut the zucchini into small cubes.

Finally, there's the eggplant. We also wash it first, then remove the green stem. We also cut off the ends, as they can be tough. Then halve the eggplant lengthwise, and cut the halves lengthwise again a few more times. Now you can easily dice the eggplant into small cubes.

With the vegetables ready, only the chicken remains. If needed, cut it into pieces or strips. Often, you can also buy pre-cut chicken fillet.

Toasting and Pan-Frying

We start by heating a deep pan or wok without any fat. In this pan, we first toast the pine nuts until they are golden brown. You can also do this step in parallel while chopping the vegetables. Toss them frequently to prevent them from being burnt on one side and untouched on the other. Once ready, remove the pine nuts from the pan and set them aside.

Next, we heat a small amount of oil in the same pan. We now bake the chicken pieces over high heat until they are golden brown. The chicken cooks relatively quickly. Once done, set it aside as well.

Add a little extra oil to the pan. Sauté the shallots, garlic, and chili pepper in it. After about a minute, add the tomato paste and bacon cubes. Mix everything thoroughly and let it stew for another minute.

Then add the diced eggplant to the stew. Let it cook for a few more minutes, stirring frequently. In the next step, add the diced tomatoes, zucchini, and white wine. Mix everything well and bring the stew to a boil. Add pepper and other spices to taste. Reduce the heat and let the vegetable stew simmer gently for about fifteen minutes.

In the last five minutes, place the chicken pieces back on top to reheat them.

Cooking the pappardelle

While the vegetable stew is simmering, you can bring water to a boil for the pappardelle. Fresh pasta doesn't take long to cook. The fresh pappardelle will be ready in about four minutes. Then you can drain the pappardelle and arrange it in deep plates.

Of course, you can also use other types of pasta, such as tagliatelle. Just be sure to check the specific cooking times for that pasta. A larger, rough-textured pasta is the best choice, as the sauce clings to it well, creating a perfect symphony of flavors.

Finishing and serving the Mediterranean vegetable stew with pappardelle and chicken

Now we can arrange the vegetable stew over the pappardelle. By now, the vegetable stew should be well reduced, allowing the flavors to fully develop. On top of the vegetable stew, we place the pieces of fried chicken.

And with that, we're in the final stretch. Distribute the toasted pine nuts over the plates. Then, cut the burrata into quarters and place one quarter on each plate. Finally, garnish the dishes with a few fresh basil leaves.

What is pappardelle? And what are the differences with tagliatelle?

Pappardelle is a wide, ribbon-shaped pasta from Italy, often associated with Tuscany. The broad, flat ribbons are ideal for absorbing rich, hearty sauces, making this pasta perfect for dishes with meat and meaty ragùs. The name "pappardelle" comes from the Italian verb pappare, which means "to gobble up" or "to devour," reflecting the irresistible taste and texture of this pasta. In short, pappardelle combines simplicity with the ability to carry intensely flavorful sauces, making it a favorite in both traditional and modern Italian cuisine.

The main difference between pappardelle and tagliatelle lies in their width. Pappardelle is broader, usually around 2 to 3 centimeters (one inch), giving it a more robust structure. This makes it ideal for heavier, chunkier sauces and richer meat ragùs, as the wide ribbons hold the sauce well. Tagliatelle, on the other hand, is narrower, typically about 6 to 8 millimeters (0,25 inch) wide, and is therefore better suited for lighter sauces, such as a classic Bolognese or delicate cream sauces.

Both types of pasta are traditional Italian ribbon pastas made by rolling out dough and cutting it into long strips. However, their structure and intended use in the kitchen set them apart. While pappardelle, with its wide ribbons, is more substantial and pairs well with rich, meaty sauces, tagliatelle offers a finer texture that highlights more subtle flavors.

Read more about pappardelle and other Italian pasta types in the following articles:

More surprising.pasta

Italian and Mediterranean cuisines are world-famous for their simple, delicious, and healthy dishes. And very often, pasta is a staple on the plate-in various shapes and sizes. Find more tasty and surprising pasta recipes here:

Or check our Italian archives for more inspiration.

If you speak Dutch, you can find the Dutch version of this recipe on gerechtenweb.blog.