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.”
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
- 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.
- While the pasta is cooking, place arugula, lemon juice, zest, and olive oil, tossing to combine.
- Place cooked pasta into the bowl immediately after draining, add chicken, and toss.
- Add half of the parmesan, salt and pepper to taste. Toss to combine. Add a splash of pasta water if desired.
- Divide the pasta between 4 bowls and garnish with remaining cheese.
Notes
Yields: 4 servings
Estimated time: 30 minutes
Nutritional Information
Calories: 461.7 | Fat: 11.7 | Fiber 9.6
WW Points: 9