We've been aiming to add more greens to our meals, and one of our top picks is rapini, also known as broccoli rabe! Combine it with some leftover rotisserie chicken and penne pasta, and you've got a delicious meal ready to go!
Ingredients:
- 1 bunch of rapini, also known as broccoli rabe
- 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of diced red onion
- 1 tablespoon of minced fresh garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes (adjust according to your spice preference)
- 3/4 cup of white wine
- 12 ounces of penne pasta
- 2 cups of chopped rotisserie chicken
- 1/2 teaspoon of chicken bouillon granules
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, with half reserved for topping
Directions:
Let's prepare a delightful Chicken and Rapini Penne Pasta dish:
- First, trim the thick stems off the rapini and roughly chop them.
- In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil. Add the rapini and cook until the stems are tender yet crisp, usually around 2 to 3 minutes. Once cooked, remove the rapini from the water using a slotted spoon and let them drain completely. Remember to keep the pot of water for cooking the penne later.
- Heat some olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the diced red onion and cook for about 2 minutes until softened. Then, add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking for an additional 30 seconds until fragrant. Now, add the cooked rapini to the pan along with the white wine. Allow it to simmer until the wine is reduced by half.
- While the rapini cooks, bring the pot of water back to a boil. Cook the penne until it's almost tender, about 10 minutes. Drain the penne, reserving about 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water.
- Combine the drained penne with the rapini in the pan. Add the chopped rotisserie chicken, reserved cooking water, and chicken bouillon. Let it all cook together for another 2 to 3 minutes until the penne is cooked to your liking. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then stir in some grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
- Once everything is well combined, divide the pasta among serving bowls and sprinkle each serving with a bit more Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Enjoy this flavorful and comforting meal!