Chicken Pasta Primavera With Lemon
Pasta primavera, a 1970s classic tailored to the season’s harvest, is packed with produce and cloaked in a decadent cream sauce.
- 2 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 1½ lb. total),patted dry
- Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
- 8 oz. penne
- ½ cup (63 g) all-purpose flour
- 4 oz. Parmesan, finely grated (about 2 cups), divided
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup (or more) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 lb. asparagus, trimmed, cut into 1" pieces
- 8 oz. green beans, trimmed, cut into 1" pieces
- 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 cup frozen peas
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1 Tbsp. white miso
- Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
- Thin strips of lemon zest (for serving)
- Holding a long knife parallel to cutting board and working one at a time, slice 2 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 1½ lb. total), patted dry, in half, starting on a long side, to create 4 cutlets. Working one at a time, lightly pound cutlets between 2 sheets of plastic wrap with a meat mallet or small heavy skillet to an even ¼" thick. Season on both sides with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.
- Meanwhile, cook 8 oz. penne in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente, about 1 minute less than package directions. Drain pasta, reserving 2 cups pasta cooking liquid.
- Mix ½ cup (63 g) all-purpose flour and 2 oz. Parmesan, finely grated (about 1 cup), on a plate with your hands. Whisk 1 large egg in a shallow bowl just to blend. Working with 1 cutlet at a time, dredge in flour mixture, shaking off excess, then dip in egg, letting excess drip back into bowl. Dredge in flour mixture again, pressing to adhere in a coarse layer.
- Heat ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil in a large high-sided skillet over medium. Working in 2 batches and adding more oil between batches if needed, cook cutlets, turning halfway through, until deep golden brown, 6–8 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board.
- Cook 1 lb. asparagus, trimmed, cut into 1" pieces, and 8 oz. green beans, trimmed, cut into 1" pieces, in same skillet, stirring often, until tender, about 4 minutes. Add 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add 1 cup frozen peas, ¾ cup heavy cream, 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces, 1 Tbsp. white miso, pasta, and remaining 2 oz. Parmesan, finely grated (about 1 cup). Cook, stirring and adding pasta cooking liquid as needed, until a thick, glossy sauce forms. Remove from heat and stir in zest and juice of 1 large lemon; season with salt and pepper.
- Slice chicken and arrange on top of pasta; scatter thin strips of lemon zest over.
Our version is similarly loaded with the veggies now flooding the markets: asparagus, green beans, and peas (we call for frozen for ease, but if you spot fresh, by all means!). The sauce gets the zest and juice of a whole lemon to brighten it all up, plus a spoonful of white miso melts in for a permeating savoriness.
To turn it into a full meal, Parmesan-crusted chicken cutlets crown the skillet. Serve it up to a crowd for a spring holiday gathering or tuck into it for a family dinner to celebrate your warmer weather bounty.
Test Kitchen Tip: Covering the chicken breasts in a combination of flour and Parmesan instead of the typical breadcrumbs makes for a crunchy frico-like coating that’s far more fun.
