Seared Chicken with Lemon Basil Pasta

seared chicken with lemon basil pasta

This yummy pasta comes from Pioneer Woman! It’s a creamy, lemony and basil pasta that’s paired with some chicken breasts that I quickly seared. I think the real highlight of this dish is the pasta. That splash of lemon really brings out all the flavors in the dish and makes it very light! If you don’t want to pair chicken with this pasta, you can try grilled shrimp, blackened fish, or bacon bits!!

It’s absolutely perfect for a quickie weeknight dinner or an easy no-fuss but sure to impress date night dinner!

Check it out below!

INGREDIENTS: cooked chicken, pasta, butter, lemons, heavy cream, half-and-half, parmesan cheese, s+p basil

First, boil the pasta according to package directions and set aside. While the pasta is boiling, prep the chicken…

STEP 1: Wash and pat the chicken breasts dry. Season both sides with s+p, dried rosemary, dried oregano, and a pinch of ground cumin.

KITCHEN TIP: I started off with two chicken breasts. To stretch the chicken, I like to filet them in half. It ensures even cooking throughout the chicken and you get more chicken to eat :)

STEP 2: Cook the chicken on a hot skillet. Set aside on a plate and wait 5-10 minutes, then cut into slices.

Now that the pasta and chicken are out of the way, make the white sauce next!  It’s so simple!

KITCHEN TIP: Add more lemons if you prefer a stronger lemon flavor. Three lemons were sufficient for a hint of lemon after taste.

To make the white sauce, you will need heavy cream, half-and-half, lemons, fresh basil (chiffonade), and parmesan cheese.

STEP 3: In the same pot that you boiled the pasta in, melt butter over medium heat. And squeeze in the juice of 3 lemons. Whisk it all together.

STEP 4: Pour in the cream and half-and-half. Whisk until hot.

STEP 5: Add in the parmesan cheese until it's melted through. Season with s+p according to your taste preferences. Whisk in the fresh basil. Keep whisking until you've reach a smooth and creamy consistency.

KITCHEN TIP: If the sauce is still too thick, add some reserved pasta water.

STEP 6: Over low heat, pour the pasta into the sauce. Toss to combine.

STEP 7: Sprinkle in some more parmesan cheese to get that cheesy gooey texture (optional)

STEP 8: Plate the pasta and chicken. Sprinkle basil and a smidge of parmesan cheese. Serve :)

Paula Deen's Zesty Roasted Garlic Bread is now my favorite go-to garlic bread recipe. My quest for the perfect garlic bread recipe is finally over :)

With some leftover roasted garlic butter, we made Paula Deen’s zesty roasted garlic bread! It was great! I’m going to start making my own compound butter for futures uses! I’m looking forward to using different herbs and flavors for these butters!

and that's date night! excuse the mess, things can get kind of chaotic when we start cooking but I wouldn't want it any other way :)

Even though it’s pasta, it wasn’t as heavy as other pasta dishes. That extra hint of lemon flavor makes it surprisingly refreshing and very yummy!

Well, that was our date night! What did you have for date night? :)

Have a beautiful weekend!

xoxo, kat

Seared Chicken with Lemon Basil Pasta (from Pioneer Woman)

• cooked chicken breast (grilled or seared), sliced
• 1 pound penne pasta, cooked until al dente
• 1/2 stick butter
• 3 whole lemons, juiced
• 3/4 cups heavy cream
• 1/4 cup half-and-half
• 1 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (or roman0)
• salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 20 whole basil leaves, chopped

Directions:

1. Cook pasta, reserving 1 cup of hot pasta water when you drain. Set pasta aside in a colander.
2. In the same pot, melt butter over medium heat. Squeeze in the juice of 3 to 4 lemons. Whisk together. Pour in cream and half-and-half. Whisk until hot. Dump in cheese and whisk until melted. Add salt and pepper. Check consistency, adding some of the hot pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed.
3. Pour pasta and sauce into a large serving bowl. Sprinkle remaining basil all over the top, then add sliced chicken breasts. Serve immediately!