KALAMATA OLIVES & ARTICHOKE over PASTA

Kalamata Olives & Artichoke is boldly flavorful

Do you like Kalamata Olives?

Okay, right up front, we know this recipe isn’t for everyone. If you like kalamata olives, you are most of the way to loving this dish. The artichoke hearts, chicken and pasta are supporting actors 🎭. Most of the people in my inner circle of family and friends won’t even try it! I get it. But if kalamata olives and artichoke hearts is up your alley, and you are looking for a new and different pasta sauce, you gotta give this a try.

I like kalamata olives, and the only meal I knew of to use them, until I tried this recipe, was salad. Or, just a dish of kalamata olives, feta cheese and olive oil, that’s great too. I am not crazy about most olives. It is the kalamata that reels me in. They are juicy and bursting with salty, briny flavor.

For the home dinner maker, it can be a real bummer to have a recipe that you like a lot, but your family doesn’t. You have to decide if you have to make one dinner for yourself, and another for the family members. Most dinner cooks have the same solution to that dilemma. We don’t have it. If I am going to have kalamata olive and artichoke hearts over pasta, I need someone to cook it for. If I have invited someone to lunch or dinner, I sometimes check to see if they think they would like something with these two distinctive ingredients. I don’t get a lot of yes’s.

You are what you eat

Who said YES to giving kalamata olives and artichoke over pasta a try? My BFF, my gal pal, my partner in crime, Jannette. If you have been reading along, you know I have other best friends too. I can only hope it is true that you are judged by the company you keep, because my three best friends, while very different from each other in many ways, have some exceptional things in common. They are fiercely loyal; you wouldn’t want to mess with anyone they have brought into their inner circle of family and friends. Underneath a demure presence, they are as strong as steel. They would would give it all for a loved one in need, without a second thought. And they have been there for me, through thick and thin, for more than a half century.

I have written about Doreen, my oldest best (not age, but duration of friendship, we are all the same age) and Maureen, Ricky’s sister. They came into my life in that order. Jannette and I met later in life; our late teens 🤗. I was ready to spread my wings and fly, and Jannette was ready to fly right along with me. She and I were looking for adventure. If I said “let’s” she said “go”. We were in it together, till the end, regardless of what hairbrained thing we thought sounded like a good idea. So it doesn’t surprise me that if anyone in my life is going to be willing to try a strange, salty, bold flavored dish, it would be my adventure loving, “I am in”, BFF.

Could it be that you eat what you are??

It leaves me wondering. Are personality traits and food preferences linked? 🤔 Should we be asking new friends and love interests what their favorite meal is? Is there a story told, if they like hot and spicy, or rich, creamy and filling, or bold and salty, or tomato soup from a can? Hummm..

Are you ready for a bold culinary adventure?

For all of you that are willing to venture into the culinary world of bold and salty, kalamata olives with artichoke hearts over pasta won’t disappoint. It is delicious. And in keeping with Ricky’s other recipes, it is quick and easy.

Here’s what YOU WILL NEED:

We make this dish with chicken tenders placed on top

The chicken is cooked separately and is a perfect compliment for those who want to serve this pasta dish with a protein. We are including the chicken in the recipe.

Here’s a few recipe notes

You can use any size can or bottle of artichokes that you can find. It doesn’t matter, just make sure they are not marinated. They can be whole canned, or cut in half or quarters.

Because the ingredients in this recipe are salty to begin with, don’t use more than the 1/2 teaspoon of salt called for, when cooking. If you find you want more salt when you are eating it, you can add it then. Too little salt is much better than too much, always.

This recipe is best with one of the string pastas, like angel hair, thin or regular spaghetti. The olive oil base of the sauce is thin, so the string pastas can deliver the goods with a twirl.

This is WHAT TO DO:

Prepare the ingredients

Drain and remove the pits from the kalamata olives and then cut them in half lengthwise. Drain and cut the artichoke hearts in half or quarters if not already cut.

Mince the garlic. You could use jarred minced or chopped garlic in this recipe if you rather, just make sure to check the equivalent amounts before adding. It is easy to overdose your dish with garlic if you are just guessing, or if you are using a teaspoon of your tableware instead of an actual measuring spoon. If you are not sure about cooking with garlic, we have a tidbit post to give you a brief rundown All About Garlic.

Time to cook the kalamata olives and artichoke over pasta

You will need 2 skillets for this dish if you are serving with chicken

Skillet 1, the sauce:

To make the olive and artichoke sauce, warm a 10 inch skillet on medium heat. Add ½ cup of the olive oil and the minced garlic. Let garlic get warm to flavor oil. Do not brown.

Add olives, artichoke hearts, salt and pepper. Sauté mixture for about 20 minutes on medium or medium low heat, stirring gently but frequently. You are not cooking anything in the mixture, just melding the flavors. Don’t let the ingredients get dry in the skillet. If you find this happening, drizzle more olive oil in the skillet. We believe it’s just about impossible to have too much olive oil in a pasta dish, especially when paired with garlic.

Cook the pasta

Thinner string pastas are best for this dish.

While sautéing the olive/artichoke mixture, cook the pasta in a saucepan, as directed on package. Time accordingly, so all the components of the dish are ready about the same time. If you are not good at juggling 3 tasks at the same time, pre-cook the chicken tenders and warm them before serving.

Drain the pasta when it’s done, and put it back in the saucepan. If the pasta is done before the sauce, add olive oil to the drained pasta to prevent sticking.

Skillet 2, the chicken tenders:

Lightly salt the chicken tenders. In a second warmed skillet, add about 1/8 cup olive oil (enough to cover the bottom of the skillet) and bring skillet to medium high heat. Don’t add the chicken until your oil is hot. Add the chicken tenders and quickly sear, until just cooked through. It is only going to take a few minutes. Overcooked chicken really sacrifices the flavor of any dish. Remove chicken from the skillet when still tender, but there is no more pink.

Final step

Add the olive and artichoke mixture to the drained pasta and toss in gently. Put in individual serving bowls or a large serving bowl or platter, and place the seared chicken over the top.

Serve