Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 4 oz. diced pancetta
- 1 lb. ground chicken
- 1 tsp. kosher salt, divided
- 1 carrot, finely diced
- 1 fennel bulb, finely diced
- 1/2 onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 3/4 cups chicken broth
- 2 basil sprigs
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 lb. mezze rigatoni
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the oil and the pancetta and cook, stirring often, until the pancetta is lightly browned and starting to crisp.
- Add the chicken and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, breaking up the chicken with the back of a wooden spoon, until almost fully cooked.
- Add the carrot, fennel, onion, garlic and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are fragrant and beginning to soften.
- Stir in the white wine and simmer until almost fully reduced.
- Add the chicken broth and basil sprigs. Simmer until the mixture is reduced by half. Stir in the cream and simmer until slightly reduced. Remove and discard the basil sprigs.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season generously with salt. Cook the pasta until just barely al dente or 2 minutes less than package directions.
- Using a pasta spoon, scoop the pasta directly into the sauce along with 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
- Sprinkle the bare pasta with the Parmesan cheese and toss. Simmer, adding more pasta water as needed until the pasta is al dente and the sauce lightly clings to the pasta, another 2 to 3 minutes.
- Serve with more Parmesan cheese.
