Siena Special

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (fat trimmed off; cut into 1-inch pieces)
• 2 medium onions (sliced into 3/4-inch strips)
• 3 cloves garlic (minced)
• 6 slices Canadian bacon (sliced into strips; not too thin)
• 10-12 fresh mushrooms (sliced 3/4-inch thick)
• 1/3-1/2 cup pitted green olives (sliced or whole)
• 4 marinated artichoke hearts (quartered)
• salt and pepper (to taste)
• 3-6 cups Pinot Grigio (enough to cover ingredients in pan)
• 1 pound (12-16 ounces) linguine
• 1 small bunch Italian parsley (minced)

Preparation

Heat a large stir-fry pan or skillet. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Over medium-high heat, brown chicken. Remove and set aside. In same pan or skillet, add remaining tablespoon of oil and sauté onion; add garlic and Canadian bacon. Add mushrooms and sauté for about 1 minute. Return browned chicken and accumulated juices along with olives and artichoke hearts. Season with salt and pepper. Add enough Pinot Grigio to just barely cover the ingredients in pan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Lower heat to medium and continue to simmer liquid. Stir mixture while cooking until liquid is reduced to a sauce. Season with more salt and pepper if desired.

Meanwhile, boil 4 to 6 quarts of water; add salt if desired. Add linguine and cook until al dente (about 9 minutes). Drain water and place pasta on a plate. Pour chicken sauce on top and garnish with Italian parsley. This sauce also works well with plain white rice if you prefer. Serves 4.