December, Day 31: Whoa

Hi all. Where did the last week go?  I know I owe you a few back posts.  Next year we’ll call a spade a spade and make it a December 1-25 marathon.  Or maybe a Thanksgiving-Christmas marathon starting in November.

Anyway, I’m feeling bloated from all the amazing food I ate over the holidays – you too?  I haven’t cooked in a few days and, in fact, I can’t take credit for this recipe either.  I actually meant to post it on the 23rd or so, but didn’t get around to it.  I was going to call it a Totally Sane Pre-Holiday Dinner, but now we’ll call it an Easy But Delicious Post-Holiday Dinner, shall we?  It’s my mom’s brilliant recipe, so please, friends, give her a hand.  Credit where credit is due.

Oh, and it’s New Year’s Eve, isn’t it?  We’re staying in tonight.  Dan caught the plague from my brother in law and we’re going to celebrate our first NYE as a couple avoiding the (perennially disappointing) New Year’s hubbub.  We may trundle up to the roof for fireworks, but we may also just stay inside and keep warm.  What are you up to?  If you’re like us, encamped on the sofa with a stack of cookbooks to flip through and a long line of movies begging to be watched, then maybe you should send someone out for a rotisserie chicken and make this for dinner.  It can’t possibly go wrong.

Pasta with Chicken and Broccoli

by my mom

• 1 whole rotisserie chicken (or whole roasted chicken)
• 2 large stalks broccoli
• 5-6 cloves garlic
• 2-3 c chicken broth
• 1/2 t red pepper flakes
• 2 T olive oil
• 1/3 c heavy cream
• 1 lb short pasta of your choice (cellentani is my personal favorite; penne is pictured)
• 1/4-1/2 c grated parmesan
• salt, pepper to taste

1. Debone and remove skin from rotisserie chicken.  Roughly dice meat, using light and dark meat if you want.
2. Prep the broccoli: cut into florets and peel and dice stems.
3. In a large cold skillet, pour in about 2 T of olive oil and add garlic.  Let the garlic and oil warm together and become aromatic but not browned.
4. Before garlic browns, add red pepper flakes and chicken broth. (Adjust the red pepper flakes to your spiciness taste.)
5. Simmer and let reduce for about 5 minutes, then add the diced chicken.
6. Meanwhile, heat the water for the pasta in a very large pan.  Be sure to liberally salt the water.  Bring to a boil and add the pasta of your choice.  Cook it to about half way (set a timer for the cook time recommended on the box), then add the broccoli to the pasta pot.  Bring back to boil.
7. Drain the pasta and broccoli, reserving about 1/2 c of the pasta water.
8. Add cream to chicken and broth and let reduce until thickened.  Add the parmesan, combine with pasta and broccoli and serve.  Top with additional grated parmesan to taste.