Chicken in Lemon Cream with Penne

Giada says it best: "Both the presentation and flavor of this subtle dish are quite elegant, so while it's easy enough to make for a weeknight dinner, you can certainly serve it to company."
And even if you aren't as obsessed with lemon as we are, I'm sure you'll love the blend of lemony sweetness with a pinch of spicy cayenne.


You may notice that the pasta picture below is not actually penne. I confess- we were out of penne and too lazy to go to the store, so we improvised with some rigatoni.

Chicken in Lemon Cream with Penne
from Everyday Pasta by Giada De Laurentiis
Pictures by Caroline

1 pound penne pasta
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, diced into 1-inch cubes
1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
pinch of salt, plus 1/2 teaspoon
pinch of black pepper, plus 1/4 teaspoon
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 cups heavy cream
Zest of 1 lemon
pinch of cayenne pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1. 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.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large, heavy skilled 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.
   
3. 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.
4. 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.