Butter Chicken Parmesan Pasta (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ Chicken

01 - 1 pound of chicken breast, boneless and skinless, diced into small chunks
02 - A pinch of salt and black pepper, adjusted as needed
03 - 1/2 teaspoon of paprika powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon of Italian herbs
05 - 3 tablespoons butter, split into portions
06 - 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
07 - Grated zest of one lemon and its juice
08 - Chopped fresh parsley for sprinkling on top

→ Creamy Parmesan Linguine

09 - Half a pound (8 ounces) of linguine noodles
10 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
11 - 3/4 cup of freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
12 - 1/2 cup of heavy cream
13 - Salt and black pepper to your liking
14 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
15 - Some diced fresh parsley for decoration

# Instructions:

01 - Boil a big pot of well-salted water. Cook the linguine following the package directions until it’s tender but firm (9 to 11 minutes). Keep 1/2 cup of that pasta water before draining. After draining, set the noodles aside.
02 - As the linguine cooks, season the chicken in a bowl with the salt, pepper, paprika, and Italian spices. Stir it around so that everything is well coated.
03 - Melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat in a big frying pan. Once hot, place the chicken pieces in a single layer (cook in batches if needed). Turn them occasionally to brown each side, letting them cook for 4-5 minutes or until their internal temperature hits 165°F. Move the cooked chicken onto a plate and put it aside for now.
04 - In the same pan, reduce the heat to medium and melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Toss in the garlic and let it cook for about half a minute, just until it smells fragrant but hasn’t browned. Add the lemon juice and zest, stirring to combine and scraping up any bits stuck to the pan.
05 - Drop the chicken back into the pan with the lemon garlic butter sauce. Stir it around so every piece gets coated. Keep it on low heat while you work on the pasta.
06 - Over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a small pot. Gradually pour in the heavy cream, letting it simmer gently (avoid boiling). On the lowest heat, whisk in the Parmesan slowly until it’s fully melted. Add garlic powder, salt, and pepper to your liking.
07 - Mix the cooked linguine into the cheesy sauce, turning it lightly to coat every noodle. If things look a bit thick, pour in a little of the saved pasta water to loosen it up. This helps the sauce stick perfectly.
08 - Dish out the creamy linguine onto plates, adding the buttery lemon chicken on top. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan if you fancy. Serve it up while it’s hot.

# Notes:

01 - Freshly shredded Parmesan melts best, unlike store-bought options that can have additives making the sauce clumpy.
02 - Keeping a bit of that pasta water handy helps make a smooth, clingy sauce for the noodles.
03 - When zesting your lemon, only use the bright yellow layer. Skip the bitter white part underneath.
04 - Cut all the chicken pieces the same size so they cook evenly.

Back