Jan 4
2010

Pasta in Lemon Cream Sauce with Chicken, Green Beans & Red Peppers Recipe

Pasta in a Lemon Cream Sauce with Chicken, Green Beans & Red Pepper Recipe

Well, the New Year’s resolution to eat healthier is going well. Yep, I made it to day 4 of 2010 before making a cream sauce. Excellent effort, wouldn’t you say? Of course, I managed to justify this indulgence by packing the dish with fresh green beans, red peppers, and skinless chicken breasts. Even as I watched the cream sauce simmering, chastising myself all the while, I reminded myself that healthy eating is about moderation. As long as I fill most of my meals with recipes such as the ones listed in New Year’s Recipes for Weight Loss and Healthy Living, I can enjoy the occasional high-fat indiscretion. With that thought in mind, I sat down with my family to enjoy this creamy dish. I ate without abandon and savored every bite.

Cut 2 skinless chicken breasts into 1-inch pieces. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until the chicken is no longer cooked in the center, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Remove chicken from the skillet and set aside.


Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saucepan set over medium heat. Add 1/2 onion, finely chopped, and cook until the onion is soft and starting to turn brown, 4 to 5 minutes.

To the saucepan, add 1 cup whipping cream, 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth, and 1/4 cup water. Simmer, uncovered, for 8-10 minutes.

Add 1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and cut in half, to the cream mixture. Simmer for 3-5 minutes, or until the green beans are tender crisp. Add 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips. Simmer for one additional minute.


Add the cooked chicken to the cream sauce to reheat.

While the cream sauce and vegetables are cooking, cook 1 pound (16 ounces) farfalle pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente. Drain the pasta and add it to the cream sauce. Toss to combine. Add 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest, and 1/2 cup finely grated fresh Parmesan cheese. Toss again to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.


Other recipes for pasta in cream sauce:

Cookin’ Canuck’s Spaghetti with Creamy Mascarpone Sauce & Italian Sausage
Simply Recipes’ Chicken Pasta with Thyme-Mint Cream Sauce
Hunter Angler Gardener Cook’s Wild Mushroom Pasta with a Gin-Cream Sauce
Madhuram’s Eggless Cooking’s Vegan Pasta with Creamy Tomato Sauce

Pasta in Lemon Cream Sauce with Chicken, Greens Beans & Red Pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 large onion, finely chopped
1 cup whipping cream
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup water
1/2 lb. green beans, trimmed and halved
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
1 lb. (16 oz.) farfalle pasta
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
1/2 cup finely grated fresh Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until the chicken is no longer cooked in the center, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Remove chicken from the skillet and set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saucepan set over medium heat. Add onion and cook until the onion is soft and starting to turn brown, 4 to 5 minutes.

To the saucepan, add whipping cream, chicken broth, and water. Simmer, uncovered, for 8-10 minutes. Add green beans to the cream mixture. Simmer for 3-5 minutes, or until the green beans are tender crisp. Add red bell pepper and simmer for one additional minute. Add the cooked chicken to the cream sauce to reheat.

While the cream sauce and vegetables are cooking, cook 1 pound (16 ounces) farfalle pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente. Drain the pasta and add it to the cream sauce. Toss to combine. Add flat-leaf parsley, lemon zest, and Parmesan cheese. Toss again to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Serves 4-6.

Printable recipe

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{ 30 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Divina Pe January 4, 2010 at 7:08 am

I always agree with the moderation part. And if you live in a colder climate, this is good enough. Cream is a must. The dish looks really great.

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2 MaryMoh January 4, 2010 at 8:02 am

Delicious-looking pasta dish. Love it. I'll eat it anytime.

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3 Jenn January 4, 2010 at 8:19 am

Looks delicious. As my attempt to eat healthy today, I made a salad. hahaha…

But I'll eventually return to my love of pasta that way I can give this a try.

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4 Ruth January 4, 2010 at 2:12 pm

Hmm really love this! looks to yummy to be healthy lol

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5 Lea Ann January 4, 2010 at 2:28 pm

This looks really very good. Reminds me of a Julia Child Quote "If you're afraid of butter, use cream". There are some healthy fats that you do need (in moderation) and cream happens to contain those.

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6 BumbleVee January 4, 2010 at 4:53 pm

absolutely… moderation is and has always been…the key!

We don't have to eat salads to live healthier or to lose weight… portion size is what's crucial. And… movement. Movement burns calories… and helps keep bones and tissue healthy and strong… …

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7 Maria January 4, 2010 at 9:00 pm

A nice dish for a cold winter's night…like any day in Utah:) I had to work today so I missed your segment. I hope you will post the recording. I am sure you did an amazing job!

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8 Chris January 4, 2010 at 9:01 pm

Delish! Cream sauces on the brain…just posted on. Agree with Bumble…portion size and movement. Depriving ourselves of everything sets us up for failure! I try not to eat carbs after 3PMish….so doesn't happen all the time. Gotta have my wine! ;) Hugs!

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9 Drick January 5, 2010 at 1:14 am

beautiful delight – great combination you got going here ….love it and that means it's a keeper

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10 penny aka jeroxie January 5, 2010 at 2:08 am

oh yum! I will have this in winter or summer. doesn't matter.

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11 Claudia January 5, 2010 at 3:13 am

It's just gorgeous – and moderation is the way to go. Deprivation does not work. It's just so pretty! And let me tell you, when it's fifteen below zero F as it is here – I'm not craving a green salad!

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12 kathyvegas January 5, 2010 at 3:15 am

After all the heavy dishes from the holidays I've so been craving veggies…what a delicious way to have some! Great photos, too!

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13 My Man's Belly January 5, 2010 at 4:13 am

Hey, there's veggies in there. In my book that constitutes healthy. If you can make out the vegetable shapes, it's healthy. :)

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14 CaptnRachel aka Tha Pizza Cutta January 5, 2010 at 3:23 pm

These hearty dishes are my favorite dinner during the winter. Easy to cook, quick to clean, and makes you warm and fuzzy all over.

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15 Kristin (KrisKishere) January 5, 2010 at 3:47 pm

That looks so delicious! The colors are so vibrant. I love cream sauces – every now and again you can't beat 'em! I'll have to try adding a bunch of veggies to my next pasta with cream sauce dish :)

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16 Family Cuisine Food And Recipe January 5, 2010 at 4:04 pm

Delicious ! Thank you for sharing. Cheers!

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17 Tasty Eats At Home January 5, 2010 at 4:17 pm

Sometimes, you just gotta have a bit of cream sauce. This looks delicious!

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18 Elin January 5, 2010 at 4:20 pm

Hi CC,
I would like to try out the lemon sauce for this paste for a change. Thanks for sharing such a refreshing sauce :)

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19 Jessie January 5, 2010 at 5:25 pm

cream sauce based dishes are a once in a while meal at my house but when I do make it, it is so worth it! I must make this one soon since we're long over due for a creamy pasta dish!

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20 Vegetable Matter January 5, 2010 at 6:55 pm

You had me at "lemon cream sauce". Looks so perfect for a chilly evening.

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21 ceecee January 5, 2010 at 7:18 pm

Looks great!

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22 Table Talk January 5, 2010 at 8:01 pm

It will be a definite test of will power to read through posts like these while trying to burn off the Christmas gluttony! Sounds/looks fantastic.

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23 5 Star Foodie January 5, 2010 at 8:43 pm

The lemon cream sauce sounds fantastic here, such a delicious pasta dish!

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24 The Chickenless Chick January 5, 2010 at 11:07 pm

Beautiful dish. Love the colors!

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25 lululu January 6, 2010 at 2:05 pm

wonderful addition of lemon zest to the cream sauce. i'm sure that makes the pasta dish refreshing and healthy!

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26 Megan January 6, 2010 at 2:37 pm

This sounds and looks delicious. Its now on the must list!

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27 Anonymous January 6, 2010 at 9:17 pm

Bravo!

I tried this recipe last night and it was simply a breeze and absolutely amazing! They didn't have red OR green bell peppers at the market so I used yellow pepper.. I took out the green beans and added spinach and artichokes..

Thank you so much for this recipe!! Keep up the great work!

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28 Cookin' Canuck January 6, 2010 at 9:36 pm

Thanks for all of the kind, encouraging comments!

Anonymous – Thanks so much for letting me know about your success with this dish. I'll have to try it with spinach and artichokes next time!

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29 Natasha January 7, 2010 at 1:18 pm

Moderation is the key. Lemon and pasta just go so well together and this looks so delicious. I would have seconds;o)

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30 Susan-CookingtoSave January 8, 2010 at 4:02 am

This looks fabulous! Would you mind if I made it next week(I blog about what I make ) and linked back to you?

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