I think you will enjoy this pasta dish with its bright flavors. I am an ardent fan of lemon zest in my cooking and I believe these flavors mingle quite well together.
Lemon-Thyme Chicken Pasta
with Artichokes
- 2 large chicken breasts, thawed
- 3 T. fresh thyme leaves, chopped very fine
- Lemon zest from 2 large lemons, chopped fine
- Juice from one lemon (or 3 T.)
- 1/4 C. olive oil, separated
- 1 T. light Dijon mustard (Grey Poupon)
- 1 14 oz. can artichoke hearts (I used Trader Joes brand)
- 1/2 C. grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 pckg. penne pasta
- salt & pepper to taste
- Optional: 1 C. sliced black olives
Method: Preheat oven to 375-degrees. Place chicken breasts in an oven-safe saute pan. Mix the thyme and lemon zest together in a small bowl. Drizzle 1 T. olive oil on chicken breasts and then sprinkle with half of the lemon-thyme mixture. Sprinkle with salt and fresh ground pepper and place in the oven to bake until cooked through---approximately 15-20 minutes (but do not overcook!). Let chicken cool.
Place a large pot of salted water on to boil for the pasta.
Remove chicken from pan and very thinly slice on the diagonal. Set aside.
Make pasta sauce: Add lemon juice and olive oil to the saute pan over medium heat. Whisk the sauce, scraping up any bits of the chicken. Take off the heat and add the remaining herb mixture and mustard, whisking vigorously until the sauce thickens (like a vinaigrette). Drain artichoke hearts and rough chop. When pasta is al dente, drain it, and place in a large pasta bowl. Add sliced chicken, artichoke hearts, olives (if using), and toss with the pasta sauce. Grate Parmesan cheese over the top and add salt & fresh pepper to taste.
