I love hosting dinner parties, but I always find that it’s tricky to find low-stress recipes to feed so many people. When I first started hosting dinners, I found that despite any planning, I was always running around frantically up until the last minute and by the time everyone arrived, I was so exhausted that I hardly got to enjoy everyone’s company–and the meal I had been cooking all afternoon.
A couple months back I made a modified version of this Martha Stewart recipe for an If: Table dinner and was so impressed by how much easier it made things. I also love that it’s an updated, healthier version of your typical “casserole,” with fresh chicken, lots of greens, and ricotta, parmesan, and lemon zest for an extra boost of flavor. Best of all, it’s the ultimate comfort food and you don’t have to feel as guilty about it.
For dinner parties and events, I recommend making the dish the day before and heating it up in the oven as guests arrive. I would serve mine with a simple salad and white wine spritzer, with a simple cheese plate, fruit salad, and dessert to accompany it.
- ¾ lb large pasta shells (look for whole wheat if possible)
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped and diced
- 5 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 2 bunches kale, chopped and de-stemmed
- 2½ cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- 1 container (48 ounces) part-skim ricotta
- ¼ cup of milk
- 3 tablespoons lemon zest
- ¾ cup grated parmesan
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 2 tbs thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large pot of boiling water, cook pasta until al dente. Drain and return to pot, and set aside.
- While pasta is cooking, sautee onion, garlic, and thyme in olive oil until translucent. Add kale, cover, and cook until almost tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to large pot with pasta.
- Slowly fold in shredded chicken, ricotta, milk, lemon zest, and ½ cup Parmesan; season with salt and pepper. Transfer mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish; top with ¼ cup Parmesan. Bake until top is golden, 30 minutes.
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