8ouncesbonelessskinless chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch strips
1 ¼teaspoonskosher saltdivided
½teaspoonground black pepperdivided
1yellow bell pepperthinly sliced
1zucchinicut in half lengthwise, then sliced crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick half moons
½bunch asparagustrimmed and cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
1cupgrape tomatoeshalved
4garlic clovesminced
1large shallotfinely chopped
1teaspoonItalian seasoning
¼teaspoonred pepper flakes
1cupchicken stock
1cuppeasfresh or frozen
½cupgrated Parmesan cheeseplus additional for garnish
½cupheavy cream
2tablespoonslemon juice
1teaspoongrated lemon zest
½cupchopped fresh basil
Instructions
Heat large pot of salted water to boiling and cook penne according to package instructions for al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water before draining pasta.
Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon butter in large high-sided skillet over medium heat. Add chicken, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and cook 4 to 6 minutes until golden brown and cooked through, stirring frequently. Transfer chicken to large plate.
Heat 2 tablespoons butter in same skillet over medium heat. Add bell pepper, zucchini and asparagus and cook 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and cook 2 to 3 minutes or until tomatoes are slightly softened and all other veggies are tender-crisp, stirring occasionally. Transfer mixture to plate with chicken.
Heat remaining 1 tablespoon butter in same skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, shallot, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Stir in chicken stock. Heat to boiling over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium and simmer 5 minutes or until liquid has reduced by half.
Stir in peas, cheese, cream, lemon juice and lemon zest and cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add cooked pasta, reserved chicken and vegetables, and 1/4 cup pasta cooking water and toss until everything is well combined. If sauce if too thick, add additional pasta cooking water a few tablespoons at a time until desired consistency is achieved. Serve garnished with basil and additional Parmesan cheese.
Notes
Feel free to change up the vegetables by using snap peas or spinach in place of something else. Or, use the entire bunch of asparagus, and omit the zucchini.
The starch in the pasta cooking water thickens the sauce and helps the sauce cling to the pasta. Don’t forget to reserve some before draining the pasta!
You’ll notice that we’re seasoning with salt at almost every step – pasta cooking water, chicken, vegetables and sauce. It may seem excessive, but the overall amount isn’t that much, and it ensures that every single bite is well-seasoned and full of flavor.
This website provides estimated nutrition information as a courtesy only. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.