Image Credit: wishtodish
Nothing can ever go astray with a plate of pasta dish. The Chicken Aglio Olio especially is light, full of flavours and less messy compared to any pasta dish that is served with a sauce.
Typically Aglio Olio is served with a mix seafood combination, but for those who are not a fan of seafood or those who are allergic to them, the Chicken Aglio Olio is the next best thing. Chicken that is seasoned well served with pasta drizzled with infused oil? You can never go wrong.
The History of Aglio Olio
The Spaghetti Aglio e Olio is a staple dish of the people of Naples. It is typically prepared by infusing garlic in olive oil before drizzling it onto a serving of al dente spaghetti. The name Aglio Olio translates to garlic and oil.
The origin of Spaghetti Aglio Olio can be traced back to 1837 where it appeared for the first time in a cookbook titled “Cucina Teorico Pratica” (Practical Cooking Theory) written by Author Guido Cavalcanti.
In the cookbook, the Aglio Olio recipe was marked as “Uermiculi Aglio e uoglie” where instead of using Spaghetti, it suggested using Vermicelli. It was only in 1965 that legendary Neopolitan chef, Jeanne Caròla Francesconi suggested using Linguine.
The original Aglio Olio did not have any proteins, but when seafood was made available, chefs, as well as patrons, started re-inventing the recipe by adding clams, prawns and squid to the readily available recipe as the seafood was easily accessible in Naples.
However, as the recipe made its way to other parts of the world, people start using chicken where the seafood is expensive to obtain. Today, chicken Aglio Olio is a widely celebrated dish as it allows people who are allergic to seafood to enjoy the meal still.
Besides, the essential garlic infused the oil. People also experimented with chilli infused oil, fresh oregano and lightly grilled cherry tomatoes to lift the flavour of the dish. Some even add preserved anchovies to achieve the taste derived from mixed seafood.
The Variety of Spaghetti Aglio Olio
While the traditional Aglio Olio is made with spaghetti dashed in garlic-infused olive oil and fresh herbs, there are a lot of variations to the dish that is readily available in the modern-day.
If you are a vegetarian, you can personalise the dish by adding wild mushroom and button mushroom to your meal. The strong earthy flavour from the mushroom will give you a very distinct taste. You can also add fresh cherry tomatoes and red pepper to your dish.
If you love spicy, add dried chilli or use olive oil that is already infused with one. For a milder taste, add black pepper instead of dried chilli. On the other hand, if you love cheese, add a dash of Pecorino cheese.
As far as protein goes, almost anything goes with Aglio Olio. You can have it with Jumbo-sized Prawns, just the clams and even strips of beef or chicken. More experimental chefs have also used added sea urchin to the Aglio Olio recipe.
Where to get the best Chicken Aglio Olio in Malaysia
If you’re craving for this heart-warming dish, head over to Pastabox KL for their Spaghetti Aglio Olio that is served with juicy chicken strips. Not feeling well? Log on to foodpanda and have it delivered instead.