Chicken in Lemon Cream with Penne

Chicken in Lemon Cream with Penne
Serves 4-6
From Everyday Pasta

• 1 pound penne pasta
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, diced into 1-inch cubes
• 1 teaspoon herbes de Provence or Italian seasoning
• pinch of salt, plus 1/2 teaspoon
• pinch of freshly ground black pepper plus 1/4 teaspoon
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups heavy cream
• pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley
• 1 tablespoon fresh 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, 8-10 minutes. Drain.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Season the cubed chicken breast with the herbes 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 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.

Recipe found at http://www.handletheheat.com/