Mood-Boosting Lemon Chicken Pasta

Marinating the Chicken Start by marinating the chicken. In a bowl, combine the lemon juice, lemon zest, minced garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Add the chicken breasts to the marinade, making sure they are well coated. Let it marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Cooking the Pasta While the chicken is marinating, cook the pasta according to package instructions in a pot of salted boiling water. Once cooked, drain and set aside.

Cooking the Lemon Chicken In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken breasts and cook until golden brown and no longer pink in the center, about 6-7 minutes per side. Remove from the skillet and let it rest.

Making the Lemon Cream Sauce In the same skillet, add butter and melt. Pour in the heavy cream, chicken broth, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Stir well and let it simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about 5-7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Combining Chicken and Sauce Slice the cooked chicken into strips. Add the chicken back to the skillet with the lemon cream sauce. Toss to coat the chicken in the sauce.

Final Assembly Add the cooked pasta to the skillet with the chicken and sauce. Toss everything together until the pasta is well coated in the sauce and heated through.