Fri, 11 April 2025
For the pasta:
200–250g linguine
Salt, for the pasta water
For the chicken & halloumi:
2 chicken breasts (or thighs), thinly sliced
150g halloumi, cubed or sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt & pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
For the sauce:
100g cream cheese
1/4 cup chicken or vegetable stock
1 tbsp hot honey (adjust to taste)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp chili flakes (optional, for extra heat)
Salt & pepper, to taste
1 tbsp butter (optional, for richness)
To finish:
Fresh parsley or basil, chopped
Extra hot honey, for drizzling
Cracked black pepper
Lemon zest (optional)
Cook the linguine:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the linguine according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining.
Cook the chicken:
Season sliced chicken with paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Cook chicken until golden and cooked through (about 6–8 minutes). Remove from the pan and set aside.
Fry the halloumi:
In the same pan, add a touch more oil if needed and fry the halloumi until golden and crisp on both sides (2–3 minutes per side). Set aside with the chicken.
Make the sauce:
Lower the heat to medium. Add a knob of butter (if using), then sauté the minced garlic for about 30 seconds. Stir in cream cheese and a splash of the pasta water or stock to loosen it. Mix until smooth and creamy.
Add the heat & sweet:
Stir in hot honey, chili flakes (if using), and season with salt and pepper. Adjust the consistency with more pasta water or stock if needed.
Combine everything:
Return the chicken and halloumi to the pan. Add the cooked linguine and toss everything together until well coated in the sauce.
Serve:
Plate it up and top with fresh herbs, lemon zest (optional), a generous drizzle of hot honey, and cracked black pepper
