By Three months of dating Dustin. The relationship has settled into a steady rhythm — he is at our house Saturday and Sunday afternoons most weeks, working on the truck or fixing things in the yard. Mama has gotten used to him. Cody has decided he likes him.
The recipe Sunday was creamy lemon chicken pasta. Sliced chicken breast pan-seared, finished in a sauce of garlic, white wine, lemon juice and zest, heavy cream, parmesan. Tossed with linguine.
The recipe is below.
Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta
Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 25 min | Total Time: 35 min | Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 12 oz spaghetti or linguine
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining. Set pasta aside.
- Sear the chicken. Season chicken pieces with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add chicken in a single layer and cook 5—6 minutes, turning once, until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Build the sauce. Reduce heat to medium and melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in the same skillet. Add garlic and cook 60 seconds until fragrant, stirring constantly. Pour in chicken broth and let it reduce by half, about 2 minutes. Stir in heavy cream, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Add the cheese. Stir in Parmesan a little at a time until fully melted and the sauce is smooth. If the sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water a splash at a time to loosen it.
- Combine and finish. Return the cooked chicken to the skillet, then add the drained pasta. Toss everything together until the pasta is evenly coated and heated through, about 2 minutes. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and lemon juice as needed.
- Serve. Divide into bowls or transfer to a covered baking dish if you’re delivering it somewhere. Top with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan. Eat it all. I mean it.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 520 | Protein: 36g | Fat: 22g | Carbs: 46g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 390mg