One-Pot Lemon Parmesan Chicken and Broccoli Pasta
Penne, chicken, and broccoli cook together in one pot and finish in a creamy lemon-Parmesan sauce, with no separate pasta pot to drain.
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup diced yellow onion (about 1 small onion)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup water
- 12 oz dry penne pasta
- 3 cups small broccoli florets (about 8 oz)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 oz)
- 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions
Pat the chicken pieces dry and toss them with the salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large, deep pot (5 to 6 quarts) over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, turning once, until browned on the outside. The chicken will not be cooked through yet. Move it to a clean plate.
Lower the heat to medium. Add the diced onion to the same pot and cook for 3 minutes, stirring and scraping up the browned bits, until softened. Stir in the garlic and Italian seasoning and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Pour in the chicken broth and water, then add the dry penne. Turn the heat up to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat so the liquid simmers steadily and cook uncovered for 8 to 9 minutes, stirring every minute or two so the pasta doesn't stick to the bottom.
Stir in the broccoli florets and return the chicken and its juices to the pot. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes more, stirring often, until the pasta is tender, the broccoli is bright green and just tender, and most of the liquid has been absorbed into a loose sauce. Check that the largest piece of chicken reads 165u00b0F on an instant-read thermometer.
Turn off the heat. Stir in the heavy cream, Parmesan, lemon zest, and lemon juice until the sauce is smooth and coats the pasta. Let the pot rest for 3 minutes so the sauce thickens, then stir once more and serve hot.
Original recipe by DailyCooking