Creamy Lemon Parmesan Penne with Chicken, Zucchini and Basil

This creamy lemon penne brings together tender chicken, zucchini, toasted garlic and a tangy Parmesan sauce in one bright pasta bowl.

Fresh basil and lemon wedges finish the dish, adding a fragrant, zesty lift to the rich cream sauce.

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Ingredients

10 ounce Chopped Chicken BreastView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 cup Parmesan CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit ZucchiniView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 ounce BasilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 ounce Cream Sauce BaseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LemonView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

6 ounce Penne PastaView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 clove GarlicView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Wash and dry the produce.
2. Zest the lemon, then cut it into wedges. Mince the garlic. Trim and cut the zucchini into bite-size pieces. Roughly chop or tear the basil.
3. Add the penne to the boiling water and cook until tender. Drain and set aside.
4. Season the chopped chicken breast with salt and black pepper.
5. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned and cooked through.
6. Add the zucchini to the skillet and cook until softened and lightly sautéed.
7. Stir in the minced garlic and cook until toasted and fragrant, taking care not to let it burn.
8. Lower the heat. Add the cream sauce base, lemon zest, a squeeze of lemon juice, butter and part of the Parmesan. Stir until the sauce is smooth and creamy.
9. Add the drained penne to the skillet and toss until the pasta, chicken and zucchini are evenly coated in the lemon Parmesan sauce. Season with additional salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste.
10. Divide into bowls. Top with basil and the remaining Parmesan and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over the pasta.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use a different pasta shape?

The recipe is built around penne, but another short pasta shape that holds creamy sauce would work similarly.

How do I keep the lemon cream sauce from tasting too sharp?

Add the lemon juice a little at a time and taste as you go. The cream sauce base, butter and Parmesan help balance the citrus.

What allergens are in this pasta?

This recipe contains milk from the cream sauce base, Parmesan and butter and wheat from the penne pasta.