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 minutesminutes
Cook Time 35 minutesminutes
Total Time 50 minutesminutes
Servings 8people
Ingredients
12ouncesChicken Breastboneless, skinless
8ouncesWhole Wheat Penne Pasta
8ouncesPenne Pasta
1largeYellow SquashCubed 1 1/2 cups
1/2bundleAsparagussnapped into 2 inch pieces
2teaspoonsolive oil
1teaspoonsaltfor seasoning
Creamy Lemon Parmesan Sauce
2cupsLow-fat Milk
3ouncesCream Cheese
3TablespoonsFlour
1teaspoonSalt
1TablespoonButter
3clovesGarlicminced
1CupParmesan CheeseGrated
1tspLemon Zest
2TablespoonsLemon Juicefresh 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.
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.
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.