For the Love of the Stove

Colleen was kind enough to share this delicious recipe with me.  I made a few tweaks, which I have included below.  The original recipe didn't call for chicken so you can leave it out if you'd like.  I also always roast asparagus in the oven, if I have the time, over boiling it.  I much prefer the flavor the asparagus takes on when spending some time in the oven.  I included steps to either roast or boil.  Your choice.  One thing that I have also done, at times, is add some milk at that end to make a bit more sauce (I used skim milk). I didn't include that step in the directions.  I served this at GNO one night and it was a huge success.  
Ingredients
Meat from one rotisserie chicken or one roasted chicken, shredded
1/3 cup whole shelled pistachio nuts
1 pound thin asparagus washed, woody ends removed, stalks cut into thirds
1 T extra-virgin olive oil (If you chose to roast the asparagus instead of boil - both options listed - if you chose to boil you will need 2 c water and 1/2 t kosher salt)
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 c unsalted butter
2 large garlic cloves peeled and minced
1/4 t freshly-ground pepper (white pepper if you have it)
1/3 c dry white wine
1 c half-and-half
1/4 c light cream
1 1/2 t kosher salt
1 T all-purpose flour, optional
1 pound penne
1/2 cup freshly-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Put the asparagus on a aluminum lined baking sheet, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.  Roast in the oven for 10 - 15 minutes depending on size, just until a knife tip is easily inserted into the asparagus.  Remove from the oven and set aside. [Second option is to bring water to a boil in a pot.  Add 1/2 t of the salt and the asparagus.  Cook, uncovered. over medium-high heat just until a knife tip is easily inserted into the asparagus, about 3 minutes.  Drain and set aside.]
3. Spread the nuts on an aluminum pie plate and toast them in the oven for 5 to 7 minutes, watching carefully so they do not burn.  Transfer the nuts to a cutting board, mince them and set aside.
4. Cook the penne according to the package directions.  Drain and return to the cooking pot.  
5. While the pasta is cooking, in a saute pan, melt the butter over medium heat.  Add the garlic and saute.  Add the asparagus and the pepper, raise the heat to high, and pour in the wine.  Stir the mixture carefully for about 1 minute.  Reduce the heat to medium.  Add the shredded chicken.  Mix the half-and-half and heavy cream together and pour it over the asparagus mixture.  Cook for 2 minutes; the sauce should be thick and velvety like heavy cream.  Stir in 1 1/2 t salt. Keep the mixture warm while the penne cooks.  (If the sauce is really thin, put a 1/4 cup of sauce in a small bowl, add 1 T flour and stir until the flour is blended with the sauce.  Stir the mixture back into the sauce and cook for another minute.) 
6. Pour the asparagus and chicken sauce over the penne and stir carefully over low heat.  Add the cheese and continue to stir until the cheese melts.  Transfer the penne to a serving platter, sprinkle the nuts over the top, and serve immediately.l