Giovedì. Benvenuti al Giovedì. Welcome to Thursday. Unless preempted by a holiday (such as Thanksgiving) or a Religious Feast Day (Ascension Thursday), today’s supper typically reflects an Italian influence. Not necessarily authentic Italian cuisine, think more along the lines of Italian adjacent.
Parmesan – Linguine – those are Italian. However; what Americans think of as an Italian dish and what is served in Italy are two completely different things. Just as an Italian would never use a spoon to twirl pasta, and yet here in American I actually found a set of spoons with forks that are made just for this purpose.
If you were to travel to Italy, don’t expect to find Spaghetti and Meatballs on the menu at a true Italian restaurant. If it is there, that shows you just one thing – the restaurant is catering to its American Tourists rather than the locals. Spaghetti is a stable pasta dish with roots in the southern regions of Italy. Meatballs are a common ingredient in the Northern part of the country. Americans are the ones who came up with the concept of pairing the two together sometime in the late 19th century. Another change made here in the US of A was the use of ground beef instead of the traditional Italian ingredients of pork in meatballs.
Kiddo and I love true Italian cuisine, while Hubby tends to look for dishes drowning in a red sauce. And so we often compromise. No, not compromise. Kiddo and I adore American-Italian just as much as true Italian. There are authentically Italian dishes that Hubby does like such as Rigatoni with Meatballs or Spaghetti alla Carbonara. Neither of which are we making today.
Lemony Garlic-Butter Chicken Bites and Parmesan Linguine
2 large boneless Chicken Breasts
1 large Lemon
3 Garlic Cloves
Fresh Parsley
8 oz Linguine
1/2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon Paprika
6 tablespoons Butter, divided
3/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2 cup Heavy Cream
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
Cut chicken breasts into bite-size pieces. Zest lemon, then cut in half and juice. Peel and mince garlic. Snip parsley for a garnish.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the linguine until al dente. Once done, drain and set aside.
In a mixing bowl, toss the chicken bites with lemon zest, lemon juice, Italian seasoning, paprika, salt, and pepper until well coated.
Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned chicken and sauté for about 5 minutes or so, until the pieces are golden and cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium and melt 2 more tablespoons of butter. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute; until aromatic but not browned.
Stir in the heavy cream and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper, and let the sauce bubble for a few minutes until it begins to thicken. Off heat whisk in remaining 3 tablespoons of butter, 1 tablespoon at a time.
Add the Parmesan cheese to the sauce and stir continuously until it melts into a creamy blend.
Gently toss the cooked linguine into the skillet pulling through the sauce until every strand is coated. Return the cooked chicken to the pan and stir to combine.
Finish the pasta dish with a generous sprinkle of chopped parsley. Serve warm straight from the pan and enjoy the zesty, buttery goodness.
Save me O LORD in Your mercy
Save me O LORD in Your kindness
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