Meyer Lemon-Chicken Pasta

Christian Reynoso via the SF Chronicle

Perfectly paired with our HENDRICKS Chardonnay, Napa Valley

If you have not purchased the wine to accompany the recipe, click HERE.

Ingredients

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter

• Kosher salt

• 1¼ pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts

• 12 ounces linguine

• 1 large Meyer lemon, about 4-5 ounces (regular lemon is OK to substitute)

• Freshly ground black pepper

• ½ cup heavy cream

Directions

Heat a large, high-sided saute pan or Dutch oven over medium-low heat and add the butter, ½ cup water and 2 teaspoons salt. Once butter is melted, help dissolve the salt by whisking and froth up the butter in the water.

Slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise so you have thin cutlets. Add cutlets to the butter broth. Cover with a lid and simmer the bottom side of the chicken for 4 minutes, flip the breasts and simmer until cooked through, about 8-10 minutes total. Turn off heat. Transfer chicken to a plate, let cool and shred into small string-like pieces (the thinner and smaller the better for maximum chicken-to-pasta ratio).

Meanwhile, boil a large pot of salted water (salted like the sea!) and prepare the lemon. Cut the lemon into thin rings, discard any seeds and finely chop the lemon into pea-size pieces or smaller. Set aside.

Add the linguine to the boiling water and cook until al dente. While the pasta is cooking, season the chicken with as much freshly ground pepper as you like (I like a lot, about 2 teaspoons and coarsely ground).

When the linguine is about 3 minutes from being done, add the heavy cream to the butter broth and turn the heat to medium. Once simmering, add the chopped lemon and shredded chicken to the butter broth. Add the cooked linguine to the sauce, with tongs; toss to coat and keep heating until the sauce is cloaking the noodles and pooling at the bottom. If you want more sauce, simply add a small amount of pasta cooking water, toss and add more as needed.

Season the pasta with more salt and serve in bowls or plates with more freshly ground back pepper.

Serves 4

Pro Tip: "A super rich yet extremely bright pasta for whenever you need a touch of comfort and see a Meyer lemon at the market. Make sure to save the pasta water once the linguine is done cooking — you’ll most likely want to add some back to your pasta for extra sauce."