Penne

Recipe—Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta

Right now, I am drowning in youth sports. My son is currently playing soccer and baseball which takes up about 5–6 days a week and sometimes we have both on the same day. I lost my sanity a few weeks ago.

Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love it! It just means that I need to be diligent in my menu planning and have some recipes that allow me to have dinner on the table quickly. We certainly have nights where dinner consists of sandwiches, Kraft Mac N Cheese, or takeout, but I try and cook a real dinner at least 4–5 nights a week. That means whatever I am making needs to be quick!

This recipe takes less than 30 minutes to make and costs about $15, assuming you have the basic stuff on hand. It is so simple, fast, and tasty! My family loves this recipe! The chicken comes out so juicy and flavorful after simmering in the creamy lemon sauce. Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Recipe—Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta

INGREDIENTS
4–5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper
1/4 c flour
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lb penne
1 c chicken broth
3 lemons, 2 for juicing and 1 sliced
3/4 c heavy cream
1/4 c capers
parsley, chopped

STEPS

Season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
Place the flour in a large Ziploc bag and add chicken breasts.
Toss the chicken breast in the Ziploc bag until they are all evenly coated in the flour.
In a large skillet, heat the butter and olive oil over medium-high heat.
Place the chicken breasts in the skillet.
Cook the chicken for 6–7 minutes per side or until cooked all the way through.
While the chicken is cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta per the package instructions.
Add the broth, juice from two lemons, sliced lemon, heavy cream, and capers to the skillet with the chicken.
Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste.
Bring the sauce to boil and reduce heat to medium-low heat.
Continue cooking the sauce until it has thickened up, about 3–4 minutes.
Transfer the chicken breasts to a plate or cutting board.
Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet with the sauce, tossing to coat all the noodles.
Serve the pasta on plates and top with a chicken breast.
Sprinkle the dish with fresh chopped parsley and serve.

Sometimes when I want pasta I want a dish that isn’t smothered in sauce, something more refined. This rustic pasta dish is it. You have some nice hearty chunks of chicken, bits of salty prosciutto, a mild creaminess from the ricotta, and of course some healthy greens mixed in, and it’s all finished off with a nice crispy topping. It really is a perfect balance. There is just something about hot baked pasta coming straight out of the oven and onto the plate that warms my belly and makes me happy. I just put the entire baking dish down on the table and let my family serve themselves. Unfortunately, we lack self-control and could not stop eating it! It was just so good!

Note: In case this is one of your first times cooking with chard be sure to wash it thoroughly and then pull the leaves off the thick stalks. They can be tough and bitter so you just want to eat the leafy green part.

INGREDIENTS
1/2 lb (8 oz) penne pasta
olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 tsp garlic, minced
4 oz prosciutto (chopped pieces for cooking)
1 bunch Swiss chard, chopped
salt and pepper
1/2 c white wine
1 1/2 c ricotta cheese
1 rotisserie chicken, meat removed and shredded
2 tbsp butter
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 c panko crumbs

STEPS

Preheat oven to 375°.
Fill a large pot with water and a pinch of salt and bring to a boil.
Add the pasta and cook until al dente per the package instructions. When the pasta is done drain will and toss with a generous amount of olive oil (enough so that all the noodles have a nice coating but aren’t swimming in it). Set aside until you are done with the rest of the filling.
While the pasta is cooking heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large wok or pot over medium-high heat.
Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes or until translucent.
Add in the garlic and prosciutto and cook for an additional minute.
Add the Swiss chard to the pot and season with salt and pepper.
Cook the chard for 810 minutes stirring occasionally until the greens are wilted and tender.
Stir in the wine and ricotta until well combined and then mix in the chicken and cooked penne.
Transfer your pasta to a medium sized baking dish.
Melt the butter in a small bowl.
Add in the Parmesan and panko and stir until well mixed.
Sprinkle the panko mixture over the top of the pasta,
Bake for 20–25 minutes or until the top just starts to turn a golden brown.