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Lemon Chicken and Spring Vegetable Alfredo

Tender chicken and penne pasta combined with fresh Spring vegetables, coated in a creamy lemon Parmesan sauce
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Italian
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 8 people

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces Chicken Breast boneless, skinless
  • 8 ounces Whole Wheat Penne Pasta
  • 8 ounces Penne Pasta
  • 1 large Yellow Squash Cubed 1 1/2 cups
  • 1/2 bundle Asparagus snapped into 2 inch pieces
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt for seasoning

Creamy Lemon Parmesan Sauce

  • 2 cups Low-fat Milk
  • 3 ounces Cream Cheese
  • 3 Tablespoons Flour
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 1 Tablespoon Butter
  • 3 cloves Garlic minced
  • 1 Cup Parmesan Cheese Grated
  • 1 tsp Lemon Zest
  • 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice fresh squeezed

Instructions

  • Sprinkle chicken breast with salt and paper. Bake thawed chicken breast at 300 degrees for 35 minutes or until juices run clear. If using frozen chicken breast, bake it at 275 degrees for 55 minutes. Use a meat thermometer to make sure the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
  • Once chicken is done baking, let it cool for 5 minutes. Cut it into 1/2 inch cubes.
  • Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook the penne until al dente. Drain and return to large pot.
  • In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Sauté yellow squash and asparagus until vegetables are crisp tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.
  • Add cooked chicken and vegetables to pasta and pour the lemon Parmesan sauce over the pasta mixture. Stir to evenly coat the pasta and vegetables with sauce. Season with salt to taste.

Creamy Lemon Parmesan Sauce

  • Combine milk, cream cheese, flour, and salt in a blender. Blend on high speed until totally smooth, about 2 minutes.
  • In a large sauce pan, sauté the minced garlic in the tablespoon of butter for about 30 seconds. Be careful not to overcook the garlic.
  • Over medium-high heat, add the milk mixture to the saucepan of garlic and stir continuously with a wire whisk until the mixture begins to thicken and bubble.
  • Remove sauce pan from the heat. Use a rotary cheese grater (affiliate link) to quickly shred the parmesan. Mix in the Parmesan, stirring until it melts completely.
  • Zest the lemon and squeeze 2 tablespoons of juice into the Creamy Parmesan sauce.