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Rigatoni with Zucchini, Garlic, Lemon, and Chicken
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Sure, leftovers are great for the next day’s lunch. But what if tonight’s meal ended up as tomorrow’s supper—yet in a totally new, unexpected way? This is “Dinner Tonight, Dinner Tomorrow,” a monthly series that we hope you find as useful as we do.
Units
Scale
Ingredients
For the pasta:
- 1/2 pound rigatoni (or, alternatively, your preferred pasta shape)
- Salt, to taste
For the sauce and garnish:
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ~3 zucchinis, sliced into coins
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- Grilled chicken and onions, leftover from yesterday
- 1 cup reserved pasta water
- 1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, grated, plus more for garnish
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped or torn for garnish
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add a few big pinches of salt, or whatever amount you typically prefer to add to your pasta water. Add rigatoni and cook until al dente, about 10-12 minutes, or a couple minutes before the instructions on the package suggests.
- While you wait for the water to boil and the pasta to cook, add extra virgin olive oil to a large pan and bring it to medium-high heat. Add zucchini coins, and once they begin to brown, flip them and add garlic and leftover chicken and onions. Shake the pan constantly to ensure nothing burns, but it’s fine if the zucchini starts to break apart.
- Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water, then strain and transfer cooked rigatoni to the pan. Increase heat to high and add reserved pasta water and Parimigiano Reggiano. Reduce and stir until the sauce is fully incorporated—it should be thick enough to coat the pasta while still remaining glossy. Transfer to serving plates or bowls and garnish with more Parmigiano Reggiano and fresh basil.