Creamy Lemon Grilled Chicken Pasta

We celebrated my birthday dinner last night, even thought my birthdays not until Tuesday. I made this along with a very chocolaty cake. They were both delicious and kid friendly.

What you'll need

Chicken

Juice of 1 lemon

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 garlic glove, minced

1 tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

5 basil leaves, finely diced

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast, quartered 

Pasta

16 oz dried penne pasta

2 Tbsp butter

Juice of 1 lemon

2 garlic gloves, minced

¾ cup heavy cream

Salt and pepper to taste

½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

½ cup frozen peas

10 to 15 basil leaves, finely diced

Instructions for Chicken

In bowl, whisk together the first 6 ingredients. 

Place chicken into a large Ziploc bag and pour marinate over top of the chicken pieces. Squeeze any excess air out of bag and make sure marinate is evenly covered over the chicken. 

Refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours. After it has marinated, grill until done. Make sure to let the chicken sit for a few minutes before slicing.

Grilled courtesy of my loving husband.

Instructions for Pasta

While the chicken is grilling, cook the pasta according to box directions making sure to reserve a cup of the pasta water before you drain.  

In large skillet, over medium heat, melt the butter. 

Add the garlic and lemon juice and whisk for about a minutes or 2.

Add the heavy cream and whisk until warmed through. 

Add the cheese, basil, salt and pepper and stir until the cheese has melted. 

Stir in the pasta and peas. Add just enough of the pasta water until it reaches a creamy consistency. 

Serve and enjoy.