Markie’s Fav Pasta Recipe

Welcome friends and how exciting is it that we are showcasing a new type of blog post on our page!

Anywho! I don’t want to be one of those people who write a very long lead up to one of their favourite recipes so instead I will summarize why I love this meal so much!

It’s quick and fairly simple to make. Typically you have majority of these ingredients on hand and it reheats well for lunch the next day. It can made vegan or vegetarian or gluten-free with little tweaks here and there and most importantly it’s delicious!

So here is one of my go-to pasta recipes that’s a crowd pleaser and uses the least amount of dishes possible, literally it’s one pan hahaha!

Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta

**See my recipe notes where you see asterisks**

This recipe I find makes about 4 servings but everyone’s pasta portions are different - no judgement here hahaha!

Here is what you’ll need ⬇️

• 2 medium size boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 3/4”-1” cubes or strips (you can add more or less depending on if you like a lot of protein in your pasta or not)**

• 1-1/2 tbsp of butter (or your fav margarine or oil)

• 2 Shallots finely chopped (or onion if you don’t keep shallots on hand)

• 3 cloves of garlic minced (I sometimes add more, I really like garlic)

• 1/2 cup of fresh mushrooms sliced (omit if you don’t have or like)**

• 1/2 cup of fresh asparagus chopped (omit if you don’t have or like)**

• 1 zest of a small to medium size lemon + juice from said lemon (make sure you wash it before zesting, I like to taste the lemon, use less if you don’t like lemon as much)

• 1 tbsp of flour (whatever kind you like)

• 2 cups of chicken broth or vegetable broth (I like reduced salt)

• 1-1/2 cups of half and half (or you whatever non-dairy option you like to use)

• 8 ounces of Parpadelle pasta (or whatever pasta you like - this works out to about 2-1/4 cups of dry pasta)**

• 1-1/2 tbsps of finely chopped fresh or dried parsley (sprinkle some in while cooking and same some for on top cause it looks fancy)

• 1-1/4” cups of frozen or fresh peas**

• 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese (or similar tasting cheese)

• Salt and Pepper to taste
  Recipe Notes

  **Instead of chicken, I’ve also used peeled and shelled shrimp.

  **mushrooms are optional but if you decide to use them, I like cremini mushrooms. Make sure you clean them before use.

  **asparagus is totally optional and won’t make or break the recipe in anyway.

  **I have used gluten-free pasta before for this recipe as well and I like the Barilla brand.

  **to quickly defrost frozen peas, I recommend putting them in a strainer and running cool water over them for 2-3 minutes or until softened. You will have to break apart clumps because sometimes they stick together.

  Cooking instructions ⬇️

1. Prepare all your ingredients before making this dish, it makes it easier and so no steps are missed.

2. Heat your oil in a deep frying pan or a high-side dutch oven on medium-high heat. Place your chicken cubes or strips into the pan. Cook through but make sure not to over-cook otherwise chicken can be dry. Once completed remove chicken from pan and and set aside.  This is usually about 4-6 minutes total. You may need to add a bit more butter or oil into the pan for the next step..

3. Toss your garlic and shallots into the pan and simmer until browned slightly. Add in your mushrooms and asparagus if using and simmer till softened.

4. Sprinkle your flour over cooked veggies in pan and stir constantly. Cook for about 1 minute to get rid of “flour-taste”.

5. Add your chicken back in and pour your broth and half-and-half in. Add your pasta of choice in and try to make sure everything is submerged in liquid.

6. Bring to a slow boil and put a lid on top of the pan. I boil until the pasta is softened (so I basically cook for as long as the pasta package recommends so that’s it’s al dente and I always check the pasta to make sure it’s cooked to my liking).

7. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice, lemon zest, some of the parsley. Once this is combined I add in some of the Parmesan cheese and stir to combine.

8. Plate your pasta (I like using low profile bowls or plates) and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese and parsley.

9. Enjoy!

This pasta dish reheats beautifully in a microwave or in a pan over low-medium heat (stirring often).

Keeps for about 2-3 days in the fridge but wait till it cools completely before refrigerating.

Sometimes I serve this with a simple green salad but it can be enjoyed on its own - if you want to get that extra serving of veggies feel free to add more!

I hope you are as delighted with this recipe as I am and please If you like this dish, let me know and I’ll share another great recipe with you soon ☺️

Happy cooking,

Markie.