2cupscooked and shredded chicken (leftover or rotisserie)
1cupcubed smoked ham(leftover works great)
kosher salt
flat leaf parsley,minced, for garnish
Instructions
make the sauce
In a medium pot, heat the butter over medium until melted. Stir in the flour with a spatula or whisk to form a loose paste, and cook for a couple of minutes. Add 1 cup of the half-and-half and stir until incorporated into the flour paste. Add the remaining dairy and repeat. Keep stirring, until the mixture begins to thicken. Mix in the mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Add the cheeses and stir until melted. Turn off the heat.
make the pasta
Prepare the penne rigate according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water, and set aside.
While the pasta cooks, heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet or saute pan over medium until the butter is melted.
Add the onions and peppers and saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the white wine and let sizzle for a few minutes to cook off the alcohol.
Add the chicken and ham to the pan, followed by the drained pasta.
Check the cheese sauce: you want the sauce to be pourable, like melted ice cream. If it's thickened up too much, mix in small amounts of the reserved pasta water, until it's the proper thickness. Taste the sauce, and add pinches of salt as need (probably won't be necessary because the cheeses are salty).
Pour the sauce over the pasta, and gently fold the contents of the pan to coat everything thoroughly. Garnish with the parsley, and serve.