Rotisserie chicken: A culinary blank slate
A rotisserie chicken from your supermarket makes this Fettuccini with Parmesan, Chicken and Asparagus dish an easy to prepare weeknight meal.
Once again, the rotisserie chicken rescues the weeknight cook.
And I'm fairly confident I've never actually eaten a rotisserie chicken as one would a traditional roasted chicken - as in, slabs or chunks of meat hacked from the bird.
In my cooking, these chickens are a not-so-raw (thankfully!) ingredient on which to build the rest of the meal without adding any cooking time.
As in this recipe, which tosses the meat with grated Parmesan cheese, blanched asparagus and some pasta. Best yet, the recipe is totally versatile. Substitute (and cook the same way) any firm veggie for the asparagus. Broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, whatever. Same for the cheese and pasta. Use what you have or what you like. And while fresh pastas cook quickly, any pasta - including whole-grain - works well.
Fettuccini with Parmesan, Chicken and Asparagus
Start to finish: 25 minutes
Servings: 4
1 pound asparagus, trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
12-ounce package fresh fettuccini
3 cups shredded cooked chicken
1/2 cup chicken broth
Pinch red pepper flakes
1 cup grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the asparagus and blanch for 2 minutes, or until bright green and just barely tender. Use a slotted spoon and remove to a plate. Return the water to a boil.
Add the pasta to the water and cook according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan over medium-low, combine the cooked chicken, broth and red pepper flakes. Heat until warmed through.
In a large bowl, combine the asparagus, pasta and chicken with broth. Add the butter and Parmesan, then toss well until melted and creamy. Season with salt and pepper.
Nutrition information per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 687 calories; 209 calories from fat; 23 g fat (10 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 140 mg cholesterol; 66 g carbohydrate; 49 g protein; 4 g fiber; 1,117 mg sodium.
