Unique Pasta Recipe: Spicy Chicken Wings Alfredo
Use Up Those Leftover Chicken Wings in the Fridge!
This recipe is one of the best I've devised by transforming the leftovers in my fridge into a tasty dish! My husband and I went out for dinner one night and he ordered some obscenely spicy chicken wings since he hasn't quite come to the realization that his taste buds are no longer 21 years old.
He ate about five of them and claimed to be "full," but I knew his mouth had to be on fire. We took the rest of the wings home with us, but it was obvious that there was no way he would eat them and they would eventually get thrown in the garbage.
I had been planning on making fettuccine alfredo later on in the week and it came to me...add those spicy chicken wings to the alfredo...I just had to give it a try!
Image Above Appears Courtesy of...Myself!
My Personal Recipe Review
As I said above, in my intro, my husband ordered a large amount of ridiculously hot wings for dinner at a bar and grill up the road from our house one night. Since he hasn't come to terms with the fact that his aging taste buds just can't handle such spicy assaults any longer, he suffered through dinner and hardly ate any of his wings at all.
So we had roughly 20 extremely spicy leftover chicken wings in the fridge that I just knew would go to waste. I had been meaning to make Alfredo that coming week and the light bulb went off in my head...spicy chicken alfredo!
This dish turned out to have just the right amount of spicy kick for those who love hot food, but not so much as to be overpowering and bring tears to your eyes. The alfredo sauce really did a lot to tone down the spiciness. The wings added this wonderfully smoky flavor as well, which my husband and I really enjoyed.
Now, instead of nagging my husband when he decides to foolishly order food that I know will make him sorry later, I will simply smile to myself and start thinking up recipes I can create with his leftovers.
I have recorded the recipe I created "off the cuff" below. The beauty of this recipe and most of the others that I create is that they are so flexible. Feel free to substitute your own ingredients in! Make additions, subtractions, or your own twist. (Just let me know what works as I would love to try your own creations out myself!)
Image Above Appears Courtesy of...Myself!
Serving Size
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
- 20 Leftover Spicy Chicken Wings (With or Without Bones)
- 13 oz Whole Grain Penne (Or Any Other Pasta of Your Choice)
- 2 Cups Half & Half
- 2 Cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
- 1/4 Cup Flour
- 1/4 Cup Margarine or Butter
- 1/3 Cup Parmesan Cheese
- 1 Tsp Garlic Powder
- 2 Tsp Salt
- 1 Tsp Pepper
Instructions
- Begin by putting your pot of water on the stove to boil for the pasta you will be preparing. I chose whole grain penne, since I just love the flavor. The beauty of this dish is that you can use your favorite pasta and the recipe will still be delicious!
- Meanwhile, start de-boning your leftover chicken wings and chopping the meat into bite sized pieces. Keep the skin and breading on, this adds a lot to the flavor of the dish.
- Once your pasta is prepared and your chicken cut up, you will create the Alfredo Sauce. I used the Quick Alfredo Sauce Recipe I found at www.AllRecipes.com and I made a few of my own revisions along the way.
- Pour Half & Half into a sauce pan and add the margarine on medium heat until margarine is melted. Slowly whisk in the flour, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and Parmesan cheese until the sauce has no lumps. Simmer the sauce for 4-6 minutes until it starts the thicken.
- Pour pasta, chicken, alfredo sauce, and 1 cup of mozzarella cheese into a large mixing bowl. Gently fold all ingredients together, until well mixed. Pour the mixture into a large baking dish. I used a 13x9 glass pan, but any casserole dish will do.
- Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese on the top of the mixture.
- Bake at 350 Degrees (F) for 20 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes and ENJOY!
Recipes Using Leftovers
Step By Step Photo Instructions
(The Photos Below Were Taken By Me and Belong to Me. Please Ask Permission Before Using.)
De-bone the Chicken Wings and Cut Into Bite Sized PIeces
Prepare the Pasta of Your Choice - I Chose Whole Grain Penne
Create Your Alfredo Sauce - (See Recipe Above for Alfredo Recipe)
Mix Pasta, Chicken Wings, Alfredo, & 1 Cup Mozzarella. Pour Evenly into a Baking Dish. Sprinkle Remaining Mozzarella on Top. - (I Used a 13x9 Glass Pan, but
Bake at 350 Degrees (F) for 15 Minutes
Allow to Cool for 5 Minutes and Serve!
Did You Know August 19th is National Hot & Spicy Food Day?
After attempting to discover the origin and history of this obscure food holiday, I came up empty handed. No matter what it's origins are, hot wings in any form, are a great way to pay tribute to the delight of spicy food enjoyed by millions!
