This is one of my most viral recipes and for good reason. It is easy, delicious, and a hearty pasta dish to feed the family. While I am typically “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” type, I knew I could make this even better than before!
I changed only two things from this recipe, and they were small changes. However, they resulted in more flavor and better texture!
First was the sauce. I wanted a creamier sauce with lots of buttery lemon flavor. I did so by adding more of each ingredient to the sauce. While adding more heavy cream will naturally make it creamier, I need to balance out the flavors more. Utilizing lemon zest also makes a huge difference!
Additionally, I changed the pasta shape. My favorite pasta shape is rigatoni. It is the perfect vessel for the sauce and holds so much more than most pasta shapes. This was easier to eat and saucier with each bite!
Ingredients:
-2 large Chicken Breasts
-1 Tsp of each: Salt, Pepper, Paprika, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Italian Seasoning
-1 Tsp Olive Oil
-1 Tsp Butter
Sauce:
-1 tbsp Butter
-1 Diced Shallot
-2 Cloves Garlic
-1/2 Cup Chicken Broth
-1/4 Cup White Wime
-Juice of 1 Lemon
-Zest of 1 Lemon
-1 1/4 Cup Heavy Cream
-3/4 Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
Pasta:
-1 Lb Rigatoni
-Fresh Chopped Basil
Optional:
Pasta water or 1 tbsp flour to 1 tbsp water mixed (as an added thickener)
Instructions:
First, season your chicken with your preferred spice mixture. Cook over the stove top on medium heat with some olive oil and butter. You want to cook the chicken to internal temp of 165F. If the breasts seem too thick, you can butterfly for a faster cooking time.
Remove your chicken from the heat and set aside. Save all of the delicious brown bits in the pan. Add another tablespoon of butter and sauté your shallot and garlic until fragrant (about 1 minute).
Deglaze your pan with your white wine and chicken broth and mix. Slowly add in your heavy cream, lemon juice and zest and parmesan cheese. Reduce the heat to a low simmer. Meanwhile cook your pasta until aldente. Then transfer to the sauce to continue cooking. This will thicken up the sauce. If you find the sauce is too runny for your liking, make a flour mixture. Add 1 tbsp of flour to 1 tbsp of water and pour into the pan. This will thicken your sauce up if the pasta does not already.
Once the pasta is fully cooked and coated in the sauce, add your chicken and garnish with basil, parmesan, and lemon zest.
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