Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta

This creamy lemon chicken pasta is a comfort food your whole family will adore. Pasta and chunks of chicken in a rich, velvety, luscious lemony cream sauce!

📝 Ingredients

• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds chicken tenderloins, (cut into 1-inch chunks)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup shallots, (minced)
• 2 teaspoons garlic, (minced)
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 4 ounces cream cheese (cubed, and at room temperature)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 8 ounces ziti
• 1 cup reserved pasta water
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, (julienned)
• crushed red pepper flakes, (optional)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- Cook Chicken: ---
2. 2Season chicken pieces (1 1/2 pounds) generously with salt and black pepper. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat until it begins to shimmer. Add half the chicken in a single layer, and cook without stirring, until one side is browned about 2 minutes. Turn the chicken and brown the other side. Remove the chicken to a plate and set it aside. Repeat with remaining chicken, adding more oil as needed.
3. 3Melt butter (2 tablespoons) in the same skillet then saute shallots (1/3 cup) and garlic (2 teaspoons) over medium-low heat until soft, about 5-7 minutes. Stir and scrape the bottom of the pan as veggies cook to lift up the brown bits from cooking the chicken.
4. 4Sprinkle flour (2 tablespoons) over vegetables and cook, whisking constantly for 1 minute.
5. 5Remove the pan from heat and slowly whisk in cream (1 1/2 cups) until smooth. Stir in lemon juice (1/4 cup) and lemon zest (2 teaspoons).
6. 6Cook pasta (8 ounces) according to package instructions in well-salted water. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of pasta water. Drain.
7. 7Return the skillet to medium and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and stir cream cheese (4 ounces), salt (1/2 teaspoon), and pepper (1/4 teaspoon), and simmer gently until cheese is melted.
8. 8Add the pasta to the sauce and toss until evenly coated. Thin out sauce, as needed, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time (you likely won't use the whole 1 cup).
9. 9Garnish with fresh basil and red pepper flakes and serve.