Pasta with Chicken and Mixed Vegetables

In an effort to utilize the ingredients I already have on hand, I created this easy weeknight meal. Everything in this recipe, except for the rotisserie chicken, I had either in my pantry, my freezer, or my refrigerator. And I even got the rotisserie chicken on sale for $2.99, because I was at the grocery store late, and they were trying to get rid of the chickens they had roasted that day. I just went home, popped it in the fridge, and it was ready for me tomorrow.

This is a very simple meal consisting of pasta, chicken, and a mixture of frozen and fresh vegetables. It can be adapted to suit whatever may be in your freezer/fridge at that time. It's easy and comforting, and the addition of the lemon juice at the end brightens up the dish, and makes it an easy, affordable, weeknight meal.


Pasta with Chicken and Mixed Vegetables


Ingredients

• 8 oz. short pasta (I used rotini, but penne, farfalle, or gemelli would also work well)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
  
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup carrots, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup frozen corn
• 1 cup frozen mixed greens ( I used Trader Joe's Greens with Envy, see below, which is a mix of broccoli, edamame, asparagus, spinach, and green beans)
• 1 rotisserie chicken, skin and bones removed, and the chicken meat shredded
• 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
• 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, shredded
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions

• In a large pot of salted, boiling water, cook the pasta according to the package directions.
• While the pasta water is coming to a boil, in a large skillet, saute the onions and carrots in olive oil over medium-high heat until they are soft, but not browned, about 5-7 minutes.
• Add the garlic, and saute for an additional minute.
• Add the frozen greens and corn, season the mixture with salt and pepper. Be sure not to over salt the vegetables at this point because both the chicken broth and the cheese also add salt to the dish.
• Once the vegetables have heated through, add the shredded chicken and chicken broth to the skillet and saute until the chicken is heated through.
  
• Drain the pasta, reserving a 1/2 cup of the pasta water, and add the drained pasta and reserved water to the skillet. Stir the mixture until the pasta has absorbed some of the sauce and the sauce has thickened slightly.
  
• Finish by sprinkling the pasta with the cheese and the lemon juice, stir to melt the cheese and incorporate the lemon juice.