Broccoli Spaghetti

Thought I would do a quick write up on tonight's dinner. No pic, the camera wasn't cooperating this evening. This recipe came from Real Simple. I found it online, but it's from the February 2004 issue, if you happen to have a that issue lying around. It seemed like a great way to use the leftover rotisserie chicken I had after making a chicken & spinach pizza Monday night.

Broccoli Spaghetti
Recipe from Real Simple; Serves 4

1 pound spaghetti
1 large head of broccoli (1/2 pound)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 rotisserie chicken, meat shredded (2 cups)
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

• Cook spaghetti according to the label directions and drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water.
• Meanwhile, cut off the broccoli stalk, peel it, and thinly slice it crosswise. Cut the remaining broccoli into small florets. Heat half the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, broccoli, and half the salt and cook until the garlic is lightly browned and the broccoli is fork-tender, 4 to 5 minutes.
  
• Add the pasta, the shredded chicken, the reserved pasta water, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Cook until heated through, about 3 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and toss well. Drizzle with the remaining oil before serving.

My notes: I totally forgot to add the red pepper flakes, d'oh. It still tasted good, and maybe it's better I forgot the flakes since I don't need to make anything too spicy for Josh. Also, I bought a bag of fresh broccoli florets to save myself some time. That usually works to my advantage because Josh prefers florets over stalk pieces. I just cut some of the larger florets down. I've been buying a lot of rotisserie chickens lately for different uses, and they have been especially handy while Josh has been sick- providing a quick source of tasty protein that won't cause him any difficulty. At the rate I've been buying these I can definitely see myself making these recipes again.

PS: The Minneapolis bridge situation is terribly sad and tragic, so please say a little (or big) prayer for all the people affected.