How to make a simple chicken and vegetable pasta with leftovers

Chef Rosemary Shrager joined "Good Morning America" to share a simple pasta dish to use up leftovers like chicken and vegetables.

Plus, she offered tips to add texture and flavor to any leftover creations that can be applied to more than just this dish.

Cheat Day Pasta with Chicken and Vegetables

Serves: 2

Ingredients1/2 pound spaghetti or any pasta shape you would like
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2-3 cups leftover cooked vegetables (if any of the vegetables have a sauce on them, rinse them under cold water in a strainer)
1 cooked leftover boneless, skinless chicken breast, sliced thin
8 ounces or one cup mascarpone cheese
1 tablespoon tomato paste (optional)
Parmesan cheese for garnish

Directions
Cook the pasta following the package directions, you will need to save one cup of pasta cooking water for the sauce.
In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
Add the garlic and heat until fragrant, then add the leftover vegetables and chicken and warm through.
Add the mascarpone cheese, and stir in to melt, if adding the tomato paste add now and mix well.
Add the hot pasta water and allow the mixture to come to a boil.
Add the pasta and mix well to combine.
Serve and top with parmesan cheese.

Tips

You can use other cheeses but soft cheeses are best - that's why mascarpone has been used here.

You basically want to be able to add flavor and texture to the leftovers. Use nuts, like pine nuts, walnuts or hazelnuts to add texture.

You need to look at what vegetables you have leftover to decide whether to make a puree from them or to flavor them up more by searing them with butter and garlic.

Extra flavor with the chicken could also be added by using some store cupboard ingredients like anchovies or adding herbs.

It's better to add more herbs to a pasta dish than spice.