Pasta with Lemon Brûlée Chicken (Print)

Bright, creamy pasta topped with tender chicken crusted in caramelized lemon sugar and fresh herbs.

# Components:

→ 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

# Directions:

01 - Pat chicken breasts dry and season evenly with sea salt, black pepper, and lemon zest. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and sear chicken for 4–5 minutes on each side until nearly cooked through. Sprinkle one tablespoon of sugar atop each breast. Using a kitchen torch, caramelize the sugar until golden and crisp; alternatively, place under a broiler for 1–2 minutes, monitoring closely. Remove from heat, allow to rest briefly, then slice thinly.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Cook linguine or spaghetti until al dente as per package instructions. Reserve half a cup of pasta water before draining.
03 - In a large skillet, melt butter and olive oil over medium heat. Sauté minced garlic until fragrant, about one minute. Stir in lemon zest and juice, then add the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Incorporate grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, stirring until fully melted and the sauce is smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Add drained pasta to the skillet and toss, incorporating reserved pasta water as needed to achieve a silky texture.
04 - Divide the pasta evenly among plates and arrange sliced lemon brûlée chicken on top. Garnish with extra lemon zest, additional Parmigiano-Reggiano, and fresh parsley leaves.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The contrast of a crispy, sweet brûléed crust against tender, juicy chicken is genuinely addictive.
  • That creamy lemon sauce tastes indulgent but comes together in about 15 minutes.
  • It looks fancy enough to impress but doesn't require a culinary degree to pull off.
02 -
  • Don't skip patting the chicken dry—the difference between a crust and steam is literally just a paper towel.
  • If your brûléed sugar hardens into a shell before you eat, it's actually perfect; it should crack when your fork hits it.
  • Reserve your pasta water before draining; that starch is what transforms heavy cream into something that clings to every strand.
03 -
  • If you don't own a kitchen torch, your broiler works just fine—just watch it obsessively because going from caramel to burnt takes about 20 seconds.
  • Make sure your cheese is room temperature and freshly grated; cold cheese lumps up in hot cream, and pre-grated cheese just separates into greasy clumps.
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