Brown Butter Parmesan Chicken Linguini

Here’s a sad fact I just learned today. I don’t know how to cut and peel a mango. I’m sure I could learn a thing or two from some YouTube videos but after 24 years of existence, I just don’t know how to do it. See, my mom always took care of the fruit cutting for me. She’d peel the apples, hull the strawberries, and then cut the mangos into perfect little cubes. But when I tried doing that tonight, it was an #epicfail. I couldn’t even peel the damn thing and had to resort to a vegetable peeler.

Yeah, it was bad.

And then when I finally managed to take the skin off, I inhaled the mango, only to find that all of it’s “hairy” shreds got stuck in my teeth.

Then I spent the next 20 minutes in the bathroom flossing.

I don’t think I’m going to buy mangos anymore, even if it is $1 for 2.

But enough about my new aversion for mango. Let’s talk about this brown butter pasta.

Every time I come across the phrase “brown butter” in the title of a recipe or in an ingredient list, I get really… You know what, I just can’t put it in one word. It makes me happy. It makes me excited. It makes me… weak in the knees. Let’s just leave it at that.

I’ve made several dessert-type baked goods with brown butter like the Banana Crumb Muffins with Orange Glaze but this was the first time I used it in a pasta dish. And I’m happy to report back that it was incredible. It provided such a wonderful nuttiness to the dish, coupled with the sauteed mushrooms and caramelized onions that had been simmered in some white wine, all held together in awesome caramel-like butteriness.

Yes, there is quite a few steps involved in this dish but it is so worth it. I mean, what wouldn’t we do for some brown butter, right?

One year ago: Crumb Cake

Brown Butter Parmesan Chicken Linguine (adapted from How Sweet It Is):

Yields 4 servings

8 ounces linguini
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon canola oil
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 medium sweet onion, sliced
1 cup sliced cremini mushrooms
4 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup dry white wine
2/3 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for topping
1 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves, for garnish

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well.

Dice the chicken into bite-size pieces.

In a small bowl, combine the chicken, paprika, salt and pepper, to taste.

Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. (I got distracted so I just melted some butter.)

Add the chicken and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Melt 1/2 tablespoon butter in the skillet. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a plate. (You may need to reduce the heat to medium or medium low to prevent the onions from burning or drying out.)

While the onions are caramelizing, melt 5 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until the foam subsides and the butter begins to turn a golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Melt remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter in the skillet. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until juicy and caramelized, about 5-6 minutes.