By Kipp Rix
Pasta has long since been a staple meal for the firehouse, and there are as many “Secret Pasta Recipes” as there are firehouse cooks. I do not claim this to be the best ever recipe; rather, it’s just another awesome recipe choice to add to the collection of firehouse pasta recipes that you can choose to prepare for the crew. The addition of the bacon (always a great idea) and the green chile add a new and spectacular flavor to the dish. If you cannot find fire-roasted green chile in your food store, you can order it from http://chilemonster.com/. Please do not confuse bell peppers for green chile; the substitution will leave you disappointed, to say the least. If you can locate fresh hatch, Big Jim, or poblano chile, you can follow my instructions from the Green Chile Chicken Stew for roasting and peeling your own chile; though a lot more labor intensive, the final results are well worth the added work in preparation of this meal.
Ingredients (Serves 4)
8-ounce package fettuccine noodles
3 tablespoons salt
1 ½ pounds chicken breast, ¾-inch diced
1 pound black pepper bacon
2 cups diced fire-roasted hatch green chile
2 jars/cans favorite Alfredo sauce
1 loaf French bread for garlic toast
grated mozzarella cheese
Cooking Directions
1. Fill a large pot with water and add 3 tablespoons of salt. Bring to a boil, then add the pasta.
2. Dice the chicken into ¾-inch pieces and season with salt and granulated garlic.
3. Dice the bacon into ¾-inch chunks.
4. In a large skillet, cook the bacon until crisp; remove to paper towels to drain.
5. Add the chicken to the bacon grease (no, contrary to rumors, bacon grease will not cause instant death or cancer).
6. Brown the chicken until cooked through. Remove chicken from the pan and discard remaining liquids in the pan.
7. Return bacon and chicken to the pan, adding the green chile; stir to combine and heat the chile.
8. Add the Alfredo sauce to the pan and continue to cook on low for 15-20 minutes until warmed through, allowing the flavors to develop.
9. Serve sauce on a bed of pasta and top with the mozzarella cheese. Serve with garlic toast and a crisp garden salad on the side.
Kipp has been in the fire service for 19 years working as both a career and volunteer fire fighter in New Mexico. Kipp started cooking at the age of 10 and learned his early skills watching shows like the Galloping Gourmet and Julia Child. Throughout the years, Kipp refined his skills with a focus on grilling foods with a southwestern flair. In 2009 Fire House Publications, LLC released the first of Kipp’s two cook books with the second book released in 2011; a portion of the proceeds from the books helps fund Fire Kids. Kipp’s philosophy of fire house cooking is “Just because you work in a busy house does not mean that you have to settle for ordinary cooking, a crew’s attitude is directly related to the meals served!” Each of Kipp’s recipes has been Fire House tested and approved.
Please email krix@fhpllc.net with a crew picture enjoying this recipe along with your review; each month one entry will be selected to receive a signed copy of one of my cook books. In 2013 Kipp founded Fire Kids, an organization that works with New Mexico children’s agencies and other organizations like the Make A Wish Foundation, of New Mexico to identify children facing a life altering or terminal illness; working with local municipal agencies and fire departments Fire Kids affords these children an opportunity to live the life of a fire fighter for a day. Complete information can be found on our Fire Kids web page.
