The Scoop
Labor Day Pasta turns moving chaos into comfort with rotisserie chicken and basil.
The scent of garlic sizzling in butter instantly brings me back to that Labor Day when I took a leap of faith and packed up to move to a new city. My belongings consisted mostly of kitchen gadgets and a box of favorite pans, one of which would soon hold the beginnings of a lifetime of recipes. Among the chaos of cardboard boxes and taped-up dreams, a simple pasta dish became my anchor. Penne was always my go-to for a quick meal after a long day of unpacking, made better with the crunch of sugar snap peas snuck in during the last moments of boiling to keep them perfectly bright and crisp.
Cooking in a half-unpacked kitchen had its quirks. With no measuring spoons in sight, I eyeballed flour into the bubbling garlic-butter mix, creating that essential creamy roux by feel alone. A splash of whole milk whisked in added a comforting thickness that matched the cozy ambiance of my new space. It was with the addition of shredded rotisserie chicken—my secret weapon for speedy meals—that the dish came into its own. Parmesan and fresh basil elevated it further, both flavors and aromas swirling around me like a promise of good things to come. My unobtrusive tip for those replicating this meal: save a bit of the pasta water to adjust the sauce to your liking; it works wonders.
This recipe wasn't just a meal—it was a welcome to my new chapter, wrapped in warmth and garlic, with a flavor grounding me to the moment while hinting at future adventures.
Ingredients
- 1 (16-ounce) box penne or other short pasta
- 8 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed, can substitute snow peas
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 cups whole milk
- salt, to taste
- ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 cups rotisserie chicken, shredded
- 1/3 cup parmesan, grated
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped, plus more, to taste, for garnish
Directions
- In a large pot of salted, boiling water, cook the penne to al dente, according to the package directions, adding the snap peas during the last 2 minutes of the cooking time.
- Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water and drain the rest.
- While the penne is cooking, in a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter.
- Add the garlic to the melted butter and cook, while stirring, until it is fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add the flour to the garlic-butter and cook, while stirring, about 1 minute.
- Slowly whisk the milk into the flour mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until it is thickened, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the salt and the pepper to the sauce and stir to combine.
- Stir the cooked penne mixture, the shredded chicken, the parmesan, and 2 tablespoons of the basil into the sauce.
- Stir the reserved pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time, into the pasta mixture until the sauce has reached the desired consistency. You may not need all of the pasta water.
- Serve the pasta garnished with the extra basil.
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