This creamy pasta recipe has all the flavors of springtime! The light lemon cream sauce pairs with chicken and vegetables.
Well, the New Year's resolution to eat healthier is going well. Yep, I made it to day 4 of the new year 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.
How to make pasta with lemon cream sauce
Cut 2 skinless chicken breasts into 1-inch pieces. Heat 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 olive oil in a large saucepan set over medium heat. Add onion, finely chopped, and cook until the onion is soft and starting to turn brown, 4 to 5 minutes.
To the saucepan, add whipping cream, low-sodium chicken broth, and a little water. Simmer, uncovered, for 8-10 minutes.
Add 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 a 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 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 chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely grated lemon zest, and finely grated fresh Parmesan cheese. Toss again to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
Printable Recipe
Pasta with Lemon Cream Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch pieces
- ½ large onion finely chopped
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- ¼ cup water
- ½ pound green beans trimmed and halved
- 1 red bell pepper seeded & cut into strips
- 1 pound farfalle (bowtie) pasta
- ¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
- ½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- 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.
Notes
Nutrition
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Megan
This sounds and looks delicious. Its now on the must list!
lululu
wonderful addition of lemon zest to the cream sauce. i'm sure that makes the pasta dish refreshing and healthy!
Vinothkumar
Same at our house. My kids are in camp during the week while I'm at work but on the weedknes it's just go-go-go from the pool to the park to lunch, etc. and then when we get home in the evening my son will say we only did 5 fun things today!! That's not fair! while I collapse on the couch. Youth is wasted on the young.
Table Talk
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.
Jessie
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!
Tasty Eats At Home
Sometimes, you just gotta have a bit of cream sauce. This looks delicious!
Kristin (KrisKishere)
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 🙂
CaptnRachel aka Tha Pizza Cutta
These hearty dishes are my favorite dinner during the winter. Easy to cook, quick to clean, and makes you warm and fuzzy all over.
My Man's Belly
Hey, there's veggies in there. In my book that constitutes healthy. If you can make out the vegetable shapes, it's healthy. 🙂
kathyvegas
After all the heavy dishes from the holidays I've so been craving veggies...what a delicious way to have some! Great photos, too!
Claudia
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!