One of my (many) problems is my love for heavy, savory dishes—especially in the summer. Despite the heat, I am still trying to cook a pot roast, dense slow-cooked pasta, or even soup! Meanwhile, everyone else is hoping for light, crisp, and simple.
The nice thing about this pasta dish is that it’s the best of both worlds! You still get the butter and cream-based sauce, but the lemon and lightly breaded chicken make this perfect for those warm summer nights! Also, we love it because it is so darn simple to make. Boil some pasta, cook some chicken, and create the sauce. Everything can be done in 20 minutes!
As always, I will now walk through a few of the key ingredients and cooking tips to help you crush this meal and be the dinner time hero:
- Chicken – For this, I definitely prefer chicken breasts. We like to slice them in half so they cook through while still holding that golden crust. You can also use the little chicken tenders; they just add a little more effort since you have to season and dredge more pieces of meat!
- Pasta – My preference for this dish is penne pasta. It doesn’t really matter which option you choose for this one, just make sure to save some pasta water to add to the cream sauce as needed!
- Spice – We always like things a little spicier, so sometimes you can spruce up the chicken with a little paprika or Cajun seasoning. I also like to add the red pepper flakes into the lemon cream sauce for a pop of flavor!
- Basil – This is an ingredient you cannot skip. You don’t need to add a ton of it at the end, but it really does a great job pulling out a lot of the flavors!
- Drink Pairing – I recommend oaked Chardonnay, slightly chilled.
See below for full measurements and cooking instructions!
Equipment
- Skillet
- Cheese grater
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts
- Salt, pepper, garlic powder
- 1/2 cup flour
- 10 oz. pasta
- 6 Tbsp. butter
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup Parmesan
- 4 basil leaves chopped
- 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
- Slice the chicken breasts in half (lengthwise) and season the chicken with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to your liking.
- Add the flour to a plate and dredge the chicken in the flour (shaking off any excess).
- In a skillet, melt 2 Tbsp. of butter.
- Add in the chicken and cook for 4 minutes, then flip.
- Boil your water in a pot and add salt. Cook your pasta until al dente. Drain and reserve some pasta water.
- Once the chicken is cooked through and golden brown, remove it to a plate and tent with foil.
- In the same pan used for the chicken, add and melt 4 Tbsp. of butter.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 min.
- Next, add the cream, lemon zest, and juice. Then add salt and pepper to taste.
- Bring to a low simmer for 2 minutes, remove the heat, and add the Parmesan cheese.
- Add the pasta and toss in the sauce (adding any pasta water as needed).
- Build on the plate with the chicken and chopped basil and eat!
- Enjoy!
