lemon garlic chicken with asparagus creamy bowtie pasta
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 2 chicken breasts or thighs, sliced thin
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- Juice of 1 lemon
For the Pasta and Sauce:
- 8 oz bowtie pasta farfalle
- 1 bunch asparagus trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon fresh parsley chopped
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter
Optional Garnishes:
- Extra Parmesan cheese
- Lemon wedges
- Fresh parsley
Instructions
Step 1: Preparing Ingredients
- Using a chef’s knife, finely chop garlic and slice chicken breast into even pieces. Trim the asparagus, removing the tough ends.
Step 2: Cooking the Chicken and Asparagus
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
- Sauté chicken breast until golden brown, seasoning with black pepper and lemon zest.
- Add asparagus and cook until crisp-tender.
- Remove from heat and set aside.
Step 3: Cooking the Pasta
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
- Cook bowtie pasta al dente according to package instructions.
- Drain and reserve 1/2 cup pasta water for the sauce.
Step 4: Making the Creamy Sauce
- In the same skillet, melt butter and sauté garlic until fragrant.
- Pour in heavy cream and Parmesan cheese, stirring until smooth.
- Simmer gently until the sauce thickens.
- Add the cooked chicken and asparagus back into the skillet.
- Toss with bowtie pasta, adjusting with pasta water if needed.
- Season with black pepper and red pepper flakes.
Step 5: Garnishing and Serving
- Sprinkle fresh parsley over the pasta.
- Serve hot with garlic bread on the side.
- Pair with a glass of white wine like Chardonnay.
- Enjoy a rich, creamy, and citrusy meal!