Interplay of textures and use of rendered fat sets apart this Spanish dish
Chicken fideos is a Spanish-inspired dish that blends the richness of chicken with the toasty, nutty aroma of fried noodles.
But there’s a secret weapon here: schmaltz, or rendered chicken fat, which elevates this dish from satisfying to sublime.
At its core, fideos are thin, short noodles often likened to broken spaghetti.
Marinate the chicken thigh in salt and paprika. — Photos: ART CHEN/The Star
In many Mediterranean cuisines, these noodles become the heart of stews, soups or dry-roasted dishes.
What sets chicken fideos apart is its interplay of textures: crispy, fried noodles softened by a savoury broth, yielding a dish that is rich but never heavy.
Schmaltz is chicken fat rendered slowly, usually from chicken thigh where the fat is most abundant, until golden and aromatic.
It lends depth and silkiness to dishes. When used to fry the noodles, it imbues them with a layered flavour.
Once browned all over, set chicken aside and reserve the schmaltz.
Unlike neutral oils, schmaltz carries a hint of roasted chicken, harmonising seamlessly with the rest of the dish.
The process begins with breaking the noodles, a step that will ruffle some feathers for most pasta aficionados.
However, fideos is a Spanish dish, after all, and this is a deliberate choice to result in even frying.
Fry noodles in the rendered fat until lightly golden and crispy.
The noodles are tossed in and stirred constantly to achieve an even golden hue.
This toasting step transforms the noodles, creating a porous structure and imparting a nuttiness that deepens the dish’s complexity.
Once fried, the noodles are set aside while aromatics like garlic and onions are tossed into the same schmaltz to wilt.
After deglazing the pan with water or chicken broth, add in seasonings which may include chilli flakes if desired.
In the same schmaltz, lightly brown the anchovies, onions and garlic.
Then, your choice of cruciferous vegetables may be added before the toasted noodles are reintroduced to the pan to soak up the flavourful broth as they cook to al dente perfection.
The seared chicken thighs may be left whole or shredded like pulled meat before they are returned to the pan to simmer until cooked through, or transferred to the oven to allow the top to brown further.
Serve while hot to savour the aroma of toasty noodles mingling with the soul-soothing scent of chicken fat.
Chicken Fideos
Marinade
800g chicken thighs
2 tsp salt
¼ tsp paprika
Ingredients
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
200g spaghetti, broken into about 4 cm lengths
1 bulb large onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
10g anchovies, soaked in water
¼ cup tomato paste
1 tbsp paprika
½ tsp salt to taste
1 lemon
2 cups cold water or chicken broth
200g kale, kailan or broccoli, cut into small pieces
7 pips green olives, optional
7 pips black olives, optional
Garnish
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
lemon wedges
Directions
Season chicken thighs with salt and paprika for 30 minutes.
Heat the oil in a frying pan and brown chicken skin side down to render the fat, then flip over to sear until nicely browned.
Set chicken aside and reserve the schmaltz.
Place the chicken over the fideos before baking them.
Seared chicken thighs may be left whole or shredded.
Fry the broken spaghetti in the schmaltz with salt until toasty and lightly brown.
Drain the fideos from the oil and set aside. In the same schmaltz, fry the anchovies until browned but not crispy.
Add the onions and garlic to saute until wilted and lightly browned.
Serve fideos warm with a wedge of lemon and extra drizzle of olive oil.
Season with paprika and lemon juice, then deglaze with water or chicken broth and bring to a simmer.
Add vegetables, olives and fried fideos into the pan to simmer until soft.
Transfer into a roasting pan, top with chicken and bake at 175°C for 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through, and most of the liquid is absorbed into the fideos.
Serve warm with lemon wedges and an extra drizzle of olive oil.
