Roasted chicken creamy pesto pasta Sylvia Soublet

Roasted chicken creamy pesto pasta

Submitted by: Sylvia Soublet, Director Offi ce of Public Affairs and Community Relations

I don’t know about you but I entertain a LOT! I don’t mean the Martha Stewart type of entertaining, though I have to admit, Martha has inspired me on more than one occasion. But most of my gatherings are informal and casual in nature. I like simple recipes that make my guests think that I have labored in the kitchen for hours. This is one of those.

I fi rst made this dish for my daughter’s sixteenth birthday brunch that I hosted at our home. This is a good buffet dish that only requires minimal buffet maintenance; after a couple of hours on your buffet you might want to loosen the sauce a bit with chicken stock and stir. This dish pairs well with almost anything. For my daughter’s event, it was part of a brunch menu that included: shrimp and grits, beignets, hickory smoked bacon, and a mixed green salad with cranberries, candied pecans, and balsamic vinaigrette dressing. (I’m getting hungry just writing this recipe!)

The only component that will require a little time is the béchamel cream sauce. This is a great recipe for any occasion, and it is just as wonderful if you substitute shrimp for the chicken. This has become one of my “go to” dishes in a pinch.

1 cooked rotisserie chicken (Costco really has the best) 8-ounce container pesto from the refrigerator section (Trader Joe’s has a good brand) 1 cup good chicken stock (Trader Joe’s has a good brand) 1/4 stick of salted butter (you can substitute olive oil) 1 box of pasta (Penne works well) 1 cup Half and Half 2 cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (plus extra for garnish) 1/4 cup all-purpose fl our 2 tablespoons granulated garlic 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped Italian fl at leaf parsley Salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Chicken preparation:

Remove the skin from the chicken breasts, legs, and thighs. Begin to chop or pull the meat apart with two forks. You want to leave the chicken in bite-size chunks; it is not meant to be shredded. Place in a bowl and set aside.

Béchamel sauce:

In a large Dutch oven, melt butter or olive oil (a more calorie conscious option) over medium-low heat. Once butter is completely melted, stir in fl our. Do not brown the butter or fl our—this a white sauce. Cook the roux 2-3 minutes whisking continuously to eliminate lumps. Add half and half. Continue whisking to break up any lumps of fl our. Add chicken stock. Remove pan from heat. Continue whisking until all the stock is incorporated and there are no lumps and the mixture is smooth. Add garlic, salt, and pepper to taste. Return pan to medium–low fl ame. Gradually add cheese, whisking continually until all the cheese is incorporated. Whisk in pesto. Add additional salt, pepper, and garlic to taste. If your sauce is too thick, add more chicken stock until it is the right consistency. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon and you should be able to run your fi nger through to create a ribbon. Turn heat to simmer. Stir occasionally to make sure the sauce does not stick or scorch at the bottom of the pan. Chef’s Note: For a more intense chicken fl avor, add a tablespoon or two of Better than Bouillon chicken stock base when liquid chicken stock is added.

Pasta preparation:

Fill large stock pot halfway with water. Bring water to a rapid boil and salt liberally. (Salt like the sea, this is your only opportunity to fl avor the pasta.) Let salt dissolve about 3-5 minutes before adding the pasta. Cook pasta according to instruction for al dente. DO NOT overcook. Remember, the pasta will continue to cook once it is added to the béchamel. Retain a cup of pasta water to loosen sauce if needed. Once pasta is cooked to desired texture, drain and set aside.

Assembling the dish:

Add chicken to sauce and gently fold in until chicken is thoroughly coated. Add pasta and gently fold into sauce until both ingredients (chicken and pasta) are incorporated. Add some of the pasta water to thin out sauce, if needed. Serve family-style on a platter and garnish with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and parsley.