What’s for dinner?

We’re having Penne [knock knock knock]
Penne [knock knock knock]
Penne [knock knock knock]

Yep, I thought it was *so* clever when I did that 😛

I love Sheldon. His geeky, humorous, and often mind-boggling habits remind me of… well, um, someone I know. [whispers] and married 🙂 (Have no idea what I’m talking about?)

When I serve pasta as a one-bowl dinner, I try to hit the major food groups, protein and veggie, before hitting up the most important one: cheese. Working veggies into a red sauce isn’t hard to do at all. The Foodie Groom’s favorite red sauce actually includes a carrot and a stalk of celery. No lie! He won’t touch those two raw… or cooked into most other things… or smothered in ranch dressing like a “normal” person… but put it in a pasta sauce and he’s good to go. But working veggies into “naked pasta” can be a little tricky.

I love lemon and pasta together – I also like arugula so this dish was great. The Foodie Groom’s verdict? I had to broker a deal just to get the dish on the menu: I’d make chicken tenders if he’d humor me just one more lemony pasta dish. Predictably, he left most of the arugula in his bowl, not a fan of the flavor… or with me “putting salad in his pasta.”

Print

Lemony Penne with Chicken and Arugula

A lemony, light, one-bowl pasta dish.

Ingredients

• 3/4 lb penne
• 2 chicken breasts (12 oz)
• Salt
• Pepper
• 3 oz arugula (3 cups)
• 1 lemon, juiced and zested
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup parmesan, grated

Instructions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water before draining. Cook 2 chicken breasts as desired (grilled, broiled, poached). Let sit for ~10 minutes and slice or shred.
2. While the pasta is cooking, place arugula, lemon juice, zest, and olive oil, tossing to combine.
3. Place cooked pasta into the bowl immediately after draining, add chicken, and toss.
4. Add half of the parmesan, salt and pepper to taste. Toss to combine. Add a splash of pasta water if desired.
5. Divide the pasta between 4 bowls and garnish with remaining cheese.

Notes

Yields: 4 servings

Adapted from Everyday Food

Estimated time: 30 minutes

Nutritional Information
Calories: 461.7 | Fat: 11.7 | Fiber 9.6
WW Points: 9