Italian Chicken Over Lemony Spaghetti

Cooking together is one of our favorite date night activities, regardless of the size of the kitchen. Despite our lack of cooking skills initially, we've managed to make it work and have a great time doing so. We started using Hello Fresh and gradually expanded our repertoire with recipes from the internet, cookbooks, and our loved ones. As time passed, we compiled a recipe book of meals we enjoyed and modified to our liking. The best part of cooking together is creating new dishes and experimenting with flavors.

Now, we want to share our favorite recipes, starting with the meal we make most often - a quick and delicious chicken spaghetti dish for pasta lovers.

Italian Chicken Over Lemony Spaghetti

with Zucchini & Chilli Flakes

 Ingredients needed:

• 8 oz spaghetti

• One large or two small zucchini

• Two cloves garlic, minced

• One lemon, zested and quartered

• Two boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound total)

• One tablespoon Italian seasoning

• Salt and pepper

• Olive oil

• 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes (more or less to taste)

• 1/4 cup sour cream

• One tablespoon unsalted butter

• 1/2 cup grated or shredded Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

• 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock (or 1 cup water + 1 teaspoon chicken or vegetable bouillon)

Note: Italian seasoning typically contains a blend of dried herbs such as basil, oregano, thyme, and rosemary. If you don't have Italian seasoning, you can use a combination of these herbs instead.

For the Parmesan cheese, grated and shredded are both suitable options. If using a block of Parmesan cheese, you can grate or shred it yourself.

As for the chili flakes, you can adjust the amount to your liking depending on how spicy you prefer your dish.

Tools Needed:

• Large Pan

• Large Pot

• Zester

• Stainer

• Paper Towels

Expected time: 5 Min prep & 30 min cook time. 750 calories

Instructions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. While waiting for the water to boil, prepare the vegetables: wash and dry the zucchini, trim the ends, cut it into quarters lengthwise, then crosswise into ½-inch-thick pieces. Peel and mince the garlic. Zest the lemon and cut it into quarters.

2. Once the water is boiling, add the spaghetti and cook it until al dente, stirring occasionally. This should take around 9-11 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the spaghetti. Keep the pot nearby for step 5.

3. While the spaghetti is cooking, heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large, preferably nonstick, pan over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini and cook it until browned and softened, stirring occasionally, for 4-6 minutes—season with salt and pepper. Turn off the heat and transfer the zucchini to a plate. Wipe out the pan.

4. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season it with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Once the zucchini is done, heat a large drizzle of oil in the same pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken until browned and cooked, 3-5 minutes per side. Turn off the heat and transfer the chicken to a cutting board to rest. Once it's cool enough to handle, slice the chicken crosswise.

5. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in the pot used for spaghetti over medium-high heat to make the sauce. Add the garlic, half of the lemon zest and a pinch of chili flakes. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, for 20-30 seconds. Stir in ½ cup of reserved pasta cooking water (or ¾ cup for four servings), stock concentrate, and juice from two lemon wedges (four wedges for 4). Simmer until thickened, for 1-2 minutes. Turn off the heat.

6. Add the drained spaghetti, zucchini, sour cream, and butter to the pot with the sauce. Toss to coat. Add half of the Parmesan and season with salt and pepper. If needed, stir in more reserved pasta cooking water a splash until the spaghetti is coated in a creamy sauce. Divide the pasta between bowls. If desired, top with the chicken, remaining Parmesan, lemon zest, and a pinch of chili flakes. Serve with any remaining lemon wedges on the side. Enjoy!

If you are a person who likes to know the nutritional value per serving, based on a two and person serving:

Calories: 720

Protein: 42g

Carbohydrates: 62g

Fat: 32g

Saturated Fat: 12g

Cholesterol: 135mg

Sodium: 970mg

Fiber: 5g

Sugar: 8g

It's worth noting that the nutritional information may vary depending on the specific ingredients and brands used, as well as any modifications made to the recipe.