stress case. [shredded chicken, kale & mushroom casserole w. ricotta & lemon]

Life has been insanely busy since the start of the year, meaning I’ve been a complete stress case. On top of working full-time and taking an extension course at UCLA, I’m moving into a new apartment in two weeks! Although stressed, I’m beyond excited for everything to come–it just means I’ll be a little behind on blogging, so I apologize in advance!

Recipe:

1 box (1 lb.) medium shells

3 tbsp. unsalted butter

1 medium yellow onion, finely diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 package (8 oz.) Cremini mushrooms

1 bag (10 oz.) kale, tough stems and ribs removed, leaves coarsely chopped

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, poached then shredded

1 container (48 oz.) part-skim ricotta

Juice and zest of 3 lemons

3/4 cup Parmesan, grated, plus more to taste

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then add chicken. Cook 15-20 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove chicken from water then let cool. Shred chicken and set aside.

Bring another large pot of water to a boil then add pasta and cook according to package instructions. Drain pasta and return to pot.

Warm a large skillet over medium heat, then add butter and melt. Saute onion and garlic until aromatic and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook another 2-3 minutes. Add kale to skillet, cover, and cook until almost tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to pot with pasta.

Stir in shredded chicken, ricotta, lemon juice and zest, 1/2 cup Parmesan, and salt and pepper, to taste.

Transfer mixture to a 9″x13″  baking dish, then top with 1/4 cup Parmesan, plus more if desired. Bake until top is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Place dish under the broiler for a few minutes if the Parmesan isn’t golden brown. Serve hot.

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