Lemon Chicken Pasta with Asparagus
Recipe from Cooking Classy on Pintrest:
Ingredients
Recipe from Cooking Classy on Pintrest:
Ingredients
- 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced into 1-inch cubes
- 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 Tbsp butter
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 (14.5 oz) can low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 3/4 cups water
- 10 oz. penne pasta
- 1 lb. thin stalks asparagus, tough ends trimmed, remaining diced into 1 1/2-inch pieces
- 4 oz. Neufchatel cheese (1/3 less fat cream cheese), diced into eight pieces
- 1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- Chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
- Heat olive oil in a 12-inch saute pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken, season with salt and pepper to taste and cook until golden brown on bottom, about 4 minutes then rotate and cook until cooked through, about 4 minutes longer.
- Transfer to a sheet of foil and wrap to keep warm, set aside.
- Melt butter in now empty skillet, add garlic and saute 20 seconds then and broth and water, while stirring to loosen any browned bites from bottom of pan.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste and bring to a boil, then add pasta.
- Cover and allow to boil until fairly tender, stirring occasionally, about 8 - 9 minutes. Sprinkle asparagus over top (don't stir), cover and allow to boil 4 - 5 minutes longer until asparagus and pasta are tender (note that there should be some broth/water left even once it's finished cooking, this will be part of the sauce.
- If needed you can add more broth). Add in Neufchatel cheese, parmesan cheese, lemon juice and lemon zest and stir until melted. Stir in chicken.
- Remove from heat, cover and let rest a few minutes if desired to allow sauce to thicken slightly and soak into pasta.
- Sprinkle with parsley if desired, serve warm.