The Popular Meat And Pasta Pairing That Barely Exists In Italy

It's no secret that Italian and Italian-American dishes are as different as can be. Penne vodka and fettucine alfredo, for instance, are both Italian-American classics. Meanwhile, cacio e pepe and ribollita are Italian staples from Rome and Tuscany, respectively. Yet while differences clearly abound between the two categories of cuisine, perhaps no shift is quite as striking as one meat and pasta duo you won't find anywhere in Italy. That Italian-American pairing comes in the form of chicken and pasta, which, while both Italian dishes in their own accords, rarely come together in Italy.

Indeed, while dishes range across Italy's varied regions, it's not customary to find any shape of pasta with any form of the poultry — anywhere in Italy. As for why this combination doesn't really surface? It's tough to pinpoint any one rationale behind Italy's separation of pasta and chicken; in general, it's just not something that's typically done. 

Luckily, Italy doesn't seem to be lacking in choices. Italy's best pasta dishes — we're looking at you, gricia and amatriciana — are already close to perfection, while the country's chicken recipes don't exactly need a farfalle base. Yet while Italy excludes chicken from its spaghetti, certainly not all of its pastas are vegetarian. Many pastas rely on either meat or fish — yes, mixed directly into the spaghetti.

While it's an Italian no-no to combine chicken with pasta, many Italian pastas utilize other forms of meat and fish. Take Rome's trademark carbonara, for instance, which intertwines guanciale — or pancetta — with spaghetti. Meanwhile, in Sicily, you'll find pasta con le sarde: a dish made with sardines, as well as raisins, breadcrumbs, and other unique add-ins. In fact, Sicily, as well as Italy's other coastal and island regions, boasts a slew of dishes that merge a pasta base with seafood toppings, from sea urchin to swordfish. In Venice, you'll even find squid ink pasta, best identified by its dark appearance. 

As such, it's safe to assume Italians aren't wanting for chicken and pasta. They can always order the two separately, with pasta as the first course and chicken to follow suit. Of course, that's not to say chicken and pasta isn't a delicious or popular duo in the United States. After all, there's a reason the combination has solidified its place in Italian American cuisine — not to mention the menu at Olive Garden.