Free Range Friday ~ Catchall Chicken Dinner

There's nothing like company comin' to motivate a catchall dinner, at least in my world. I knew some of what I wanted to make but as usual when housesitting, there are also choices that show and tell to toss themselves into the mix. My brother and I call this the Back of the Freaking Fridge method of meal planning. Except we don't say Freaking.

The pan had been used to sauté chicken breasts, along with a green pepper, a jalepeno, some spring onions and garlic. I forgot to take a photo of that. Oops. Then I found this squash.

This piece of incredibly beautiful bacon, origin of sale unknown, was what I used to make a bit of fat to sauté the chicken, along with some olive oil. Then I turned it into bite sized bits to throw in with the rest. 

This is 'the rest'. There is also a little soy sauce in there. 

First thought was to make this with rice, but then fettuccine seemed the way to go instead.

I have an ongoing small fight with fettuccine and I don't exactly know why. It is either sticky or undercooked or just blah. Spaghetti, lasagna, no problem, but fettuccine just has never seemed to be something I cook well. I keep on trying and this time, it finally was as close to perfect as I am brave enough to say. Why? I still put in a dollop of olive oil and a sprinkling of salt. I think the only thing I did differently was to let it cook until I thought it was really a little overcooked, but instead it was just fine. 

Tip: if you have a food that fights you when you try to cook it, keep trying it anyway! 

Onto the Very Full Skillet of now combined chicken, bacon, peppers, onions, soy and love went the not sticky, not icky fettuccine. A swirl shot of olive oil. A cheating tablespoon of pre-made alfredo sauce (I don't food cheat often but when I do, it's because I'm lazy). Some careful lifting and mixing. Ring the triangle, dinner is ready!

Buen provecho!

Have a fearless Friday! Do something fragrantly flamboyant.