Lemon appears twice and never at the same time. The zest goes in with the garlic and broth, where heat draws its oils out; the juice goes in after the steaming, where heat would only flatten it.
The chicken comes out of the skillet before any of that happens. Browning it to 165 degrees Fahrenheit and setting it aside means it is not sitting in liquid while the broccoli steams.
Why This Recipe Works
- Browning the chicken in chunks over medium-high heat gives colour the rest of the dish never gets a chance to.
- Steaming the broccoli in a covered skillet with a cup of broth cooks it evenly without boiling it.
- Butter and Parmesan stirred into the reduced broth make a light sauce without any cream.
- Half a cup of reserved pasta water loosens that sauce to coat farfalle rather than pool under it.
Ingredient Notes
- Lemon, zest and juice
- A tablespoon of zest into the steaming broth, three tablespoons of juice after it. Two different jobs at two different moments.
- Farfalle
- Twelve ounces. The bowtie shape is what the finished dish shows and what the light sauce catches in.
- Broccoli florets
- Three cups, steamed four minutes under a lid rather than boiled.
How to Make It
Pasta, and keep the water
Cook farfalle until al dente; reserve 1/2 cup pasta water.
Brown the chicken to 165F
Season chicken and brown in oil over medium-high heat until 165 degrees Fahrenheit; transfer.
Steam the broccoli
Add garlic, lemon zest, broth and broccoli to the skillet; cover and steam 4 minutes.
Build the sauce
Stir in butter, lemon juice, Parmesan and red pepper flakes.
Bring it together
Toss in farfalle and chicken, loosening with pasta water as needed; finish with parsley.
One Skillet, in Order
Everything after the pasta happens in the same pan, and each thing leaves or arrives at the point where the pan is right for it.
Before the skillet
12 oz farfalle, cooked al dente, with 1/2 cup of the water kept back
The reserved water is the only thing that will loosen this sauce later; there is no cream in the recipe.
Medium-high heat
1 1/2 lb of chicken chunks in 2 tbsp olive oil, browned to 165F, then removed
Out of the pan before any liquid goes in, so it browns rather than stews.
4 minutes, covered
4 minced garlic cloves, 1 tbsp lemon ZEST, 1 cup broth, 3 cups broccoli florets
The lid turns the skillet into a steamer. Zest goes here because heat draws its oils out.
Off the boil
3 tbsp butter, 3 tbsp lemon JUICE, 1/3 cup Parmesan, 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Juice goes here, not with the zest - simmering it would cost exactly the sharpness it is there for.
Last
The farfalle and the browned chicken back in, loosened with the reserved pasta water
The chicken rejoins only now, having spent the steaming stage out of the pan entirely.
Success Tips
- Reserve the pasta water before draining — the sauce here is light and depends on it.
- Keep the lid on for the full four minutes; lifting it lets the steam that is cooking the broccoli escape.
- Add the lemon juice off the boil so it stays bright.
Serving Ideas
Six servings in white bowls, the farfalle and broccoli coated in the lemon-garlic sauce with the browned chicken through it and parsley on top.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the lemon split between zest and juice?
The zest goes into the hot broth where its oils are released; the juice goes in at the end, where its sharpness survives.
Is there cream in this?
No. The sauce is broth, butter and Parmesan, loosened with pasta water.
How done should the chicken be?
165 degrees Fahrenheit, browned, before it leaves the skillet.
