Pasta with Lemon Brûlée Chicken (Print Version)

Creamy pasta paired with caramelized lemon chicken, bursting with zesty and sweet notes in every bite.

# What You'll Need:

→ Lemon Brûlée Chicken

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
03 - Zest of 1 lemon
04 - 1 teaspoon sea salt
05 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
06 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Pasta

07 - 11 ounces dried linguine or spaghetti
08 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
10 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
11 - Zest and juice of 2 lemons
12 - 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream
13 - 2 ounces grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
14 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

16 - Extra lemon zest
17 - Additional Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
18 - Fresh parsley leaves

# Steps to Follow:

01 - Pat chicken breasts dry and season with salt, pepper, and lemon zest. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat and sear chicken for 4 to 5 minutes per side until nearly cooked through. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon sugar over each breast and caramelize using a kitchen torch or broiler until golden. Remove from heat, let rest, then slice thinly.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water and drain the remainder.
03 - In a large skillet, melt butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in lemon zest and juice, then pour in heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Add grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and stir until melted and smooth. Season with salt and pepper, then toss in drained pasta, adding reserved pasta water as needed to achieve a silky consistency.
04 - Divide pasta among serving plates, top with sliced lemon brûlée chicken, and garnish with extra lemon zest, additional cheese, and fresh parsley leaves.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • That crackling, caramelized lemon crust on the chicken shatters under your fork—it's the kind of small texture surprise that makes people ask for the recipe before they've even finished their plate.
  • The sauce is rich and tangy without being heavy, with the pasta water doing the quiet work of pulling everything together into something silky.
  • It looks far more impressive than the 45 minutes it actually takes, which means you can serve it on nights when you want to feel like you've accomplished something real in the kitchen.
02 -
  • The brûlée only works if your chicken surface is dry and the sugar makes direct contact with the hot pan—if there's any moisture, the sugar steams instead of caramelizing, and you'll get sad, clumpy sweetness instead of that satisfying crackle.
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water; it's the secret to a sauce that feels silky and professional rather than greasy or broken.
03 -
  • If you don't have a kitchen torch, broiling works beautifully—just place the skillet on the lowest oven rack under a preheated broiler and watch it like a hawk because the sugar goes from caramelized to burned in about 30 seconds.
  • A handful of toasted pine nuts or even crispy panko breadcrumbs scattered on top adds a texture contrast that makes people think you've spent hours on this when it really took under 45 minutes.
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