Lemon Cream

Made this last night. Not much to look at, but tasty. Not heavy, as you would expect from a cream sauce, but pretty light. The lemon really cuts through all that fat. The herbal accents are accented by the lemon. We did half the recipe for the two of us. Just enough. We each had a bowl, then another few bites of the remaining. Perfectly full.

Chicken in Lemon Cream with Penne from Giada de Laurentiis
Servings: 4 to 6

1 pound penne pasta
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, diced in to 1-inch cubes
1 teaspoon Herbs de Provence
pinch of salt, plus 1/2 teaspoon
pinch of freshly ground black pepper, plus 1/4 teaspoon
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 cups heavy cream
Zest of 1 lemon
pinch of cayenne pepper
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Season the cubed chicken breast with the Herbs de Provence and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook the chicken until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken and set aside. Pour off any excess oil from the pan. Add the chicken broth to the pan and cook over medium-high heat, using a wooden spoon to scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the cream, lemon zest, and cayenne. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Add the pasta, chicken, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, chopped parsley, and lemon juice. Toss to coat the pasta and chicken with the sauce and serve.