Chicken in Lemon Cream with Penne

So obviously, I used gobbetti instead of penne. Also? The darling Hubs got home from work a wee bit later than usual, so this beauty was sitting on the stove on super-low for an extra half an hour, waiting for his arrival. Hence the kinda chunky look to the sauce.

But! It was still quite delicious. I love the taste of lemon in dishes, it sure wakes things up, but it seemed overpowered by the cream in this dish. Next time, I'll probably add more zest and a wee-bit more juice.

Chicken in Lemon Cream with Penne

(from Everyday Pasta, Giada deLaurentiis)

Ingredients:

16 oz. penne pasta

3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, diced

1 tsp. herbes du Provence

Pinch of salt, plus 1/2 tsp.

Pinch of freshly ground black pepper, plus 1/4 tsp.

1 c. reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 c. heavy cream

Zest of 1 lemon

Pinch of cayenne pepper

1/4 c. fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Season the cubed chicken breast with the herbs de Provence and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook the chicken until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken and set aside. Pour off any excess oil from the pan.

Add the chicken broth to the pan and cook over medium-high heat, using a wooden spoon to scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the cream, lemon zest, and cayenne. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Add the pasta, chicken, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, chopped parsley, and lemon juice. Toss to coat the pasta and chicken with the sauce and serve.