Pasta with Lemon Brûlée Chicken (Printable)

Tender chicken with caramelized lemon topping served on creamy pasta with parmesan and parsley.

# What You'll Need:

→ Lemon Brûlée Chicken

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
03 - Zest of 1 lemon
04 - 1 teaspoon sea salt
05 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
06 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Pasta

07 - 11 ounces dried linguine or spaghetti
08 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
10 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
11 - Zest and juice of 2 lemons
12 - 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream
13 - 2 ounces grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
14 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

16 - Extra lemon zest
17 - Additional grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
18 - Fresh parsley leaves

# How-To Steps:

01 - Pat chicken dry and season with salt, pepper, and lemon zest. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat and sear chicken for 4-5 minutes per side until almost cooked through. Sprinkle sugar evenly over breasts and brûlée sugar with kitchen torch until golden and caramelized, or broil 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest, then slice thinly.
02 - Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water and drain remaining water.
03 - Melt butter and olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in lemon zest and juice, then pour in heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Add grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and stir until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
04 - Add drained pasta to skillet and toss to coat thoroughly. Add reserved pasta water gradually as needed to achieve silky sauce consistency.
05 - Divide pasta evenly among plates and top with sliced lemon brûlée chicken. Garnish with extra lemon zest, additional Parmigiano-Reggiano, and fresh parsley leaves.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The caramelized lemon crust on the chicken gives you that satisfying crack like breaking into dessert, except its dinner.
  • Creamy lemon pasta feels indulgent but comes together in under half an hour.
  • It looks impressive enough for guests but easy enough for a Tuesday night when you want something different.
02 -
  • If you skip drying the chicken before searing it will steam instead of brown and the sugar wont caramelize right.
  • Dont walk away when youre torching the sugar, it goes from perfect to burnt in seconds.
  • Always reserve pasta water before draining, its the secret to a sauce that actually sticks instead of sliding off.
03 -
  • Use a microplane for the lemon zest so you get fine fragrant shreds without any bitter white pith.
  • Let the chicken rest before slicing or all the juices will run out onto the cutting board instead of staying in the meat.
  • Toss the hot pasta in the sauce off the heat for thirty seconds before plating, it helps the noodles absorb flavor without overcooking the cream.
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