Prep Time: 5 mins | Cook Time: 30 mins | Servings: 4
This is one of my favourite pasta and chicken dish! The pasta is tossed in a delicious creamy spinach ricotta sauce with a touch of lemon and garlic. Nestle the sliced lemon butter chicken on top, and do not forget to sprinkle with cheese!
Ingredients
Lemon butter chicken:
2 chicken breasts skinless and boneless
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 lemon
1 clove sliced garlic
salt and pepper
Spinach ricotta pasta:
1 tablespoon butter
1 pound pasta such as linguine or your favourite
1 lemon, zest, and juice
2 cloves garlic
250 grams/1 c. ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon fresh chopped mint or 1 teaspoon dried mint
100 grams/2 c. fresh spinach
2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil or 2 teaspoons dried basil
125ml/1/2 c. reserved pasta water
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese for serving
Salt
How to make Spinach Ricotta Pasta with Lemon Butter Chicken
Lemon butter chicken:
Step 1: Season both sides of two chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
Step 2: In a frying pan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil. Once hot, add the chicken breasts to the pan and sear until all sides are golden.
Step 3: Decrease the heat, then add the butter to the pan along with the sliced garlic. Cook for about 30 seconds before adding in the lemon juice and a couple of slices of lemon. Stir and cover the pan. Continue to cook the chicken breasts over low heat, flipping them once and basting them with the pan juices a few times until done. This takes about 10 minutes.
Step 4: To a plate, transfer the lemon butter chicken and keep warm.
Spinach ricotta pasta:
Step 5: Following the package directions, cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water.
Step 6: In the meantime, add 1 tbsp butter to a large pan. Allow it to melt, then add the sliced garlic and cook over low heat for about 30 seconds. Now, add the lemon zest, lemon juice, ricotta cheese, and half a cup of pasta water. Stir well.
Step 7: To the pan, add the fresh spinach, chopped mint, and basil. Put the lid on and allow the green to wilt for about 2 minutes. Remove the cover and stir. Season with salt according to taste.
Step 8: Drain the pasta when done and add it to the pan. Toss to coat in spinach ricotta sauce. Then, slice the chicken and arrange them over the pasta. Serve right away with sprinkles of Parmesan cheese.
Nutrition Facts:
Calories: 766kcal | Carbohydrates: 91g | Protein: 48g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 121mg | Sodium: 324mg | Potassium: 844mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1770IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 229mg | Iron: 2.6mg
Ingredients
- Lemon butter chicken:
- 2 chicken breasts skinless and boneless
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 lemon
- 1 clove sliced garlic
- salt and pepper
- Spinach ricotta pasta:
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 pound pasta such as linguine or your favourite
- 1 lemon, zest, and juice
- 2 cloves garlic
- 250 grams/1 c. ricotta cheese
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped mint or 1 teaspoon dried mint
- 100 grams/2 c. fresh spinach
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil or 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 125ml/1/2 c. reserved pasta water
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese for serving
- Salt
Instructions
Lemon butter chicken:
Step 1: Season both sides of two chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
Step 2: In a frying pan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil. Once hot, add the chicken breasts to the pan and sear until all sides are golden.
Step 3: Decrease the heat, then add the butter to the pan along with the sliced garlic. Cook for about 30 seconds before adding in the lemon juice and a couple of slices of lemon. Stir and cover the pan. Continue to cook the chicken breasts over low heat, flipping them once and basting them with the pan juices a few times until done. This takes about 10 minutes.
Step 4: To a plate, transfer the lemon butter chicken and keep warm.
Spinach ricotta pasta:
Step 5: Following the package directions, cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water.
Step 6: In the meantime, add 1 tbsp butter to a large pan. Allow it to melt, then add the sliced garlic and cook over low heat for about 30 seconds. Now, add the lemon zest, lemon juice, ricotta cheese, and half a cup of pasta water. Stir well.
Step 7: To the pan, add the fresh spinach, chopped mint, and basil. Put the lid on and allow the green to wilt for about 2 minutes. Remove the cover and stir. Season with salt according to taste.
Step 8: Drain the pasta when done and add it to the pan. Toss to coat in spinach ricotta sauce. Then, slice the chicken and arrange them over the pasta. Serve right away with sprinkles of Parmesan cheese.
