Ingredients
- 1 lb whole grain spaghetti or regular spaghetti
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic or 5 large garlic cloves, minced (or 1 heaping tablespoon frozen squeeze garlic)
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 4-5 tablespoons bottled lemon juice or fresh lemon juice from about 1 large lemon
- 2 oz finely shredded Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons parsley fresh, chopped
- 1 cup reserved pasta water don't throw it out!
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- Cook the pasta in salted water until al dente. BEFORE DRAINING, scoop out 1 cup of pasta water and set it aside. (You'll need it!) Drain pasta and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil and butter in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the bite-size chicken pieces. Season with salt and pepper. Cook 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through and lightly golden.
- Add the cooked pasta to the pan with the chicken. Pour in the reserved pasta water and the lemon juice. Toss everything together until the sauce comes together silky and glossy and coats the noodles.
- Add the shredded Parmesan and parsley. Toss again. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve immediately with extra Parmesan and a slice of garlic bread.
Nutrition
Video
Notes
Stephanie's note: I made this and completely threw away my pasta water mid-cook because I am a big dork! 😂 Here's how I rescued it — and honestly, I might make it this way from now on. I added 1 cup of chicken broth, 2 tablespoons of butter, and about 1/3 cup of heavy cream. That got the sauce silky and glossy and absolutely delicious. This is what cooking in real life looks like — we mess up, and we make the best of it. If you want the creamy version on purpose, just skip the pasta water and add the broth, butter, and cream at the end with the lemon and Parmesan.
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