Creamy, fresh and full of flavour – this lemon pasta with ricotta and chicken is a firm weeknight favourite.
It is one of those dishes where a handful of ingredients add up to more than the sum of their parts, giving you creaminess, acidity and substance all at once – without spending an eternity in the kitchen.
The ricotta brings a mild, rounded creaminess, balanced by fresh lemon zest and juice, and with a splash of pasta water it turns into a light, silky sauce that clings beautifully to the pasta.
The juicy chicken adds a little extra bite and protein – making the dish more filling without losing its simple, fresh character.
It is just as good on a weekday as at the weekend – and tastes at least as good cold the next day, should there be any leftovers (which rarely happens in our house).
Creamy lemon pasta with ricotta and chicken
Ingredients
- 500 g chicken breast
- 400 g pasta, ideally rigatoni
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, grated or crushed
- 250 g ricotta
- 50 g Parmesan, finely grated
- 2 lemons, finely grated zest and juice
- 200 ml pasta cooking water – possibly more
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Oil
Method
- Season the chicken with salt and freshly ground pepper and fry it in a splash of oil over a medium heat until cooked through and golden on both sides. Set aside on a plate, cover with foil and leave to rest.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pan of well-salted water to the boil and cook the pasta until al dente according to the packet instructions.
- While the pasta cooks, fry the shallots and garlic in the same pan the chicken was cooked in until soft and translucent – add a little more oil if needed.
- Put the ricotta, Parmesan, lemon zest and lemon juice in a bowl. If the lemons are very juicy, start with the juice of just one and adjust with more lemon later once the dish is assembled.
- When the pasta is almost al dente, pour the pasta cooking water into the bowl with the ricotta and whisk well. Keep the rest of the pasta water – you may need more.
- Tip the pasta into the pan along with the ricotta cream and toss everything together well. Adjust the consistency with more pasta water if needed, and season to taste with more lemon juice, salt and freshly ground pepper.
- Slice the chicken and serve it on top of the pasta.
Nutrition
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