Life Without Alu?: A Taste of Comfort: Lemon, Parmesan Penne Pasta with Chicken

In today's fast-paced world, finding time to prepare a nutritious meal can be challenging. However, incorporating easy weeknight dinners into your routine can be a game-changer, offering a host of benefits that extend beyond just saving time. These meals not only simplify your evenings but also contribute to a healthier lifestyle and even save you money. Here's how:

1. Time Efficiency

Quick Preparation: Easy weeknight dinners often require minimal prep time, allowing you to have a meal ready in 30 minutes or less.
One-Pot Wonders: One-pan meals minimize cleanup and streamline the cooking process, making dinner time hassle-free.

2. More Family Time

Quality Time: With less time spent in the kitchen, you can enjoy more moments with your loved ones, strengthening family bonds.
Involving the Family: Simple recipes can be a fun way to involve children in meal preparation, teaching them valuable cooking skills and fostering a sense of responsibility.

3. Nutritious Choices

Balanced Meals: Easy doesn't mean sacrificing nutrition. Many simple recipes incorporate healthy ingredients like lean proteins, whole grains, and plenty of vegetables.
Control Over Ingredients: Cooking at home allows you to control the quality and quantity of ingredients, ensuring a healthier meal compared to takeout or processed foods.

4. Cost-Effective

Budget-Friendly Ingredients: Many easy weeknight dinners use affordable ingredients, helping you save money on groceries.
Reduced Dining Out: By having quick and easy meals at home, you can significantly cut down on dining out expenses, which can add up quickly.

5. Variety and Customization

Endless Possibilities: Despite their simplicity, easy weeknight dinners offer a wide range of flavors and cuisines to keep your meals interesting.
Adaptability: Recipes can be easily customized to suit dietary preferences or to use up ingredients you already have on hand, reducing waste.

In conclusion, incorporating easy weeknight dinners into your routine can have a positive impact on your overall well-being. Not only do they save time and money, but they also promote healthier eating habits and create opportunities for meaningful family time. So, the next time you're feeling overwhelmed by the demands of the day, consider whipping up a quick and delicious meal that will nourish both body and soul.

Keeping the theme of easy weeknight dinners in mind, I decided to share this recipe. This pasta recipe is easy to prepare and is perfect for busy weeknights. Chicken pasta is a classic comfort food that never fails to satisfy. This recipe takes it up a notch with the addition of bright lemon, savory Parmesan and rich butter, creating a dish that is simple yet incredibly flavorful. Whether you're looking for a quick weeknight meal or a cozy weekend dinner, this lemon, Parmesan and buttery chicken pasta is sure to hit the spot.

Pasta is a versatile and beloved staple in many households, known for its comfortingly simple preparation and ability to be paired with a variety of flavors. For the last several years, angel hair pasta has been my go-to choice for its quick cooking time and delicate texture. I love going grocery shopping with my 3 year old daughter - Prisha because it’s a great opportunity for her to learn common everyday items. A few weeks back we were in the pasta aisle and she asked me to pick up Penne pasta. I asked her, what can we cook with it? And immediately it occurred to me that I wasn’t using my creative potential anymore. I was stuck with the same old recipes. We started exploring and talking about the different pasta varieties.

When we came home, I started reading about the different types of pastas. There are so many! From long and thin strands to short and sturdy shapes, each type of pasta has its own unique characteristics that can elevate your dishes to new heights. Here are just a few varieties to consider adding to your culinary repertoire:

1. Spaghetti: Perhaps one of the most well-known pasta shapes, spaghetti is long, thin, and perfect for twirling. It pairs well with a wide range of sauces, from simple tomato to creamy Alfredo.

2. Penne: With its tubular shape and angled ends, penne is great for holding onto thick sauces. It's also sturdy enough to stand up to baking in casseroles.

3. Fusilli: This spiral-shaped pasta is not only visually appealing but also does a great job of holding onto creamy and chunky sauces, making it a favorite for pasta salads.

4. Farfalle: Commonly known as bowtie pasta, farfalle is perfect for catching and holding onto light sauces, making it a great choice for dishes like pasta primavera.

5. Rigatoni: Similar in shape to penne but larger and with ridges, rigatoni is excellent for hearty meat sauces and baked dishes.

6. Linguine: Like a flattened version of spaghetti, linguine is great for pairing with seafood or lighter sauces that can cling to its flat surface.

7. Orzo: While technically a type of pasta, orzo is often used in soups and salads due to its small, rice-like shape.

8. Ravioli: These stuffed pasta pockets are a delicious and filling option, with endless possibilities for fillings and sauces.

9. Lasagna: While not a traditional pasta shape, lasagna noodles are a staple in many households for their use in the iconic layered dish.

Exploring different types of pasta can not only add variety to your meals but also open up a world of new flavors and textures. I know I have certainly opened my world with this comforting rich recipe of Chicken Penne Pasta.

Ingredients (Serves 2):

Penne Pasta - 6 oz
Chicken Breasts - 10 oz, chopped or thinly sliced
Salt - to taste
Black Pepper - to taste
Olive Oil - 1 teaspoon
Cooking Oil - 2 teaspoons
Butter - 2 tablespoons
Garlic - 1 clove, peeled and thinly sliced
Lemon - 1, zested and quartered
Cream Sauce / Heavy cream - 4 oz
Parmesan Cheese - 3 tablespoons
Fresh Parsley - a handful, finely chopped
Zucchini - 1, trimmed and quartered lengthwise, cut crosswise into ½ -inch-thick pieces

I often use this sauce instead of heavy cream and it adds a beautiful flavor in the dish.

Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Once water is boiling, add penne to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 9-11 minutes.
Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain and set aside.
While pasta cooks, heat a large skillet, over medium heat.
Heat the Olive Oil.
Add Garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and fragrant, 1 minute. Keep a close eye on the garlic to avoid burning. Remove from heat as soon as it turns a pale golden color.
Turn off heat; using a slotted spoon, transfer garlic to a paper-towel-lined plate. Wipe out the pan.
Heat a teaspoon of Cooking oil in the pan used for garlic over medium-high heat.
Add zucchini and cook, stirring, until tender and lightly golden, 5-6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Transfer to a plate.
While zucchini cooks, pat chicken dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper.
Once zucchini is done, heat a teaspoon of Cooking oil in the same pan over medium-high heat.
Add chicken in a single layer and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through, 4-6 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium.
Stir in Cream sauce or Heavy Cream, ¼ cup reserved pasta cooking water and a small squeeze of lemon juice (you can add more later).
Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 2-3 minutes. TIP: If the sauce seems too thick, stir in another splash or two of pasta cooking water.
Add drained penne, toasted garlic, half the Parmesan, half the parsley, all the zest and the Butter to the pan with sauce.
Toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. TIP: If needed, stir in more pasta cooking water a splash at a time until everything is coated in a creamy sauce.
Divide pasta between bowls.
Mix in the zucchini. Top with remaining Parmesan and remaining parsley. Serve with remaining lemon wedges on the side.
This recipe serves 2 people and is bursting with bright, lemony flavor. It's a perfect dish for a refreshing and satisfying meal!