Orecchiette with Chicken, Caramelized Onions, and Blue Cheese

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Ingredients

1. 1 tablespoon butter
2. 3 tablespoons olive oil
3. 2 onions, quartered and cut into thin slices
4. 1 teaspoon salt
5. 1 1/3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 4)
6. 1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
7. 3/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled, or 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
8. 1 clove garlic, minced
9. 1/2 pound orecchiette
10. 2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (about 1/2 cup)

1. In a large nonstick frying pan, melt the butter with 2 tablespoons of oil over moderately high heat. Add the onions and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and cook, stirring frequently, until well browned, about 25 minutes. Remove.
2. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan and reduce the heat to moderate. Season the chicken with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper and add to the pan along with the rosemary. Cook the chicken until brown, about 5 minutes. Turn and cook until almost done, about 3 minutes longer. Add the garlic. Cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Cover the pan, remove from the heat, and let steam for 5 minutes. Cut the chicken into 1/4-inch slices.
3. Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the orecchiette until just done, about 15 minutes. Reserve about 1/4 cup of the pasta water. Drain the pasta and toss with 2 tablespoons of the pasta water, the onions, the chicken with pan juices, the blue cheese, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. If the pasta seems dry, add more of the reserved pasta water.