Lemon Basil Pasta With Chicken

This particular dish is a modified version of a Pioneer Woman recipe. If you are not familiar with Ree Drummond (the pioneer woman), you would no doubt delight in her site! She is a busy mother and wife, loves to cook and has a cookbook published, home schools her children, lives on a working ranch....busy & talented to say the least!

I opted for chicken tenders that I dipped in Italian bread crumbs and fried quickly in olive oil.

Lemon Basil Pasta:

1 pound Penne Pasta, cooked according to package directions, don't over-cook
1/2 stick butter (I used unsalted)
3 whole lemons, juiced
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup Half and Half
1 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Kosher salt, to taste
A handful of basil leaves, chopped (saving a nice "top" for garnish)

Cook the pasta , drain and reserve about 1 cup of pasta water and set aside
Melt butter over medium heat, add the lemon juice & stir until combined
Pour in the cream and half and half, stirring until hot
Now add the cheese and whisk until melted
Season with salt & pepper and add chopped basil
If necessary, for consistency, add a little of the reserved pasta water

Combine the pasta and sauce and serve in a pasta bowl or individual plates...garnish with the chicken tenders and reserved basil or parsley

This is a quick and easy dinner that I will prepare again, using a bit less lemon juice