Shells & Cheese

Well, not quite. Last night's dinner was another choice from Josh. He found this Shells with Grilled Chicken and Mozzarella in the July/August issue of Everyday Food. This was a really good meal for us, and we both enjoyed the leftovers today. I'm not gonna elaborate much, as I will soon be on my way to Stephanie's house for some munchies and TV premieres. So, let's get down to the delicious details.

Shells with Grilled Chicken and Mozzarella
Recipe from Everyday Food; Serves 4
Coarse salt and ground pepper
Vegetable oil, for grates
1 1/2 pounds chicken cutlets
8 ounces medium pasta shells
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
2 tablespoons butter

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for pasta. Meanwhile, heat grill to medium; lightly oil grates. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Grill until cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from grill, and cut into thin strips, halving if long.
• Cook pasta until al dente, according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water; drain pasta, and return to pot. Add chicken, tomatoes, mozzarella, parsley, Parmesan, and butter. Toss to combine. Add reserved pasta water a little at a time to create a sauce that coats shells (you may not need all the water). Serve with more Parmesan.

My notes: I actually just realized typing the ingredients that I forgot the butter last night! And yet it was delicious. Oh well, guess I saved us some calories! I don't know if I'll bother with the butter next time, seeing as it was so good without it.