Pasta with Shredded Chicken and Rosemary

I've said it before and I'll say it again...if a recipe has the words "shredded" and "chicken" in it, I am completely, 100% in.  There's something about bite-sized pieces of chicken that just means comfort food to me, and if you include a little pasta and cheese with it...oh my goodness.

And this particular one also involves one of my favorite fresh herbs, conveniently one that is currently growing like gangbusters in my back yard.  Rosemary!  If you are ever feeling blue, rub a few rosemary leaves between your fingers and inhale deeply.  It's pretty much guaranteed to make you feel better.

Anyway.  This is a fast and simple dish that will make short work of any leftover cooked chicken you have in your fridge.  Whenever I am grilling chicken for anything else, I make sure to throw a few extra pieces on, because grilled chicken is just about perfect in recipes like this one.  Let it come to room temperature and tear it into those nice little bite-sized pieces while you are cooking up some pasta.  I like to use orecchiette (those little round ones) because they do such a nice job of holding the sauce, but pretty much any short pasta will do.  Make sure you salt the pasta water up good, and scoop out some of the pasta water right before you drain it.

Once the drained pasta is back in the pot, toss in the chicken, some parmesan cheese, some of that glorious fresh rosemary, a little salt and pepper, and enough pasta water to make it into a nice light sauce.  Simmer it until everything is all warm and blended together.  Now all you have to to is spoon it into plates and dig in.

Shredded chicken...it never lets me down.

Pasta with Shredded Chicken and Rosemary, adapted from Real Simple

• 12 ounces orecchiette (about 3 cups)
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan
• Coarse salt and black pepper

1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve 1 ¼ cups of the cooking water. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
2. Toss the pasta with the chicken, rosemary, reserved pasta water, ½ cup of the Parmesan, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
3. Cook, stirring, over medium-low heat, until the sauce has thickened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup of Parmesan. 

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