Name: Chicken and Zucchini Pasta with Parmesan Pan Sauce
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 12 oz penne pasta (dry); 1 1/4 lb boneless skinless chicken breast (sliced thin, about 1/4 inch thick); 1 tsp garlic powder; 3/4 tsp kosher salt (divided, plus more for pasta water); 1/4 tsp black pepper; 3 tbsp olive oil (divided); 3 medium zucchini (halved lengthwise and sliced into 1/4-inch half-moons); 4 cloves garlic (minced); 1 cup chicken broth (low sodium); 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese (freshly grated, plus more for serving); 1 tbsp unsalted butter; 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional); 1/4 cup fresh parsley (chopped, for garnish)

From the roundup: 20 Zucchini Pasta Dinner Recipes Ready in 30 Minutes

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This chicken and zucchini pasta has been in my regular rotation for two years because it is actually done in 30 minutes, not “30 minutes if everything goes perfectly.” The chicken slices thin, sears fast, and the sauce builds in the same pan while the pasta finishes boiling. Most nights I am pulling it together after school pickup with at least one kid asking what is for dinner every four minutes.

The Parmesan pan sauce is the part that makes this feel like more than a weeknight scramble. You pour chicken broth into the hot skillet, scrape up the browned bits from the chicken, let it reduce for a couple of minutes, then stir in butter and Parmesan until it comes together. It coats the penne without being heavy, and my pickiest eater will eat two bowls of it as long as I do not mention the zucchini before he starts.

One thing I learned the hard way: do not skip reserving that pasta water before you drain. If you add the Parmesan too fast or the heat is a little high, the sauce can tighten up on you, and a splash of starchy pasta water fixes it in about ten seconds.

Why you will love this

The chicken cooks in 3 to 4 minutes per side because it is sliced thin, so you are not standing at the stove waiting.
The pan sauce is built from the browned bits left after searing, which means the flavor is already there without extra steps.
One skillet handles the chicken, zucchini, and sauce. The only other dish is the pasta pot.
Leftovers reheat well in a skillet with a splash of broth, so it does not feel like sad desk lunch the next day.
No cream, no heavy ingredients. It is filling without sitting heavy, which matters when dinner is late.

Tips for success

Slice the chicken as close to a quarter inch as you can. Thicker pieces take longer and the outside dries out before the center is done.
Do not overcrowd the skillet when searing the chicken. If your pan is not large enough to fit everything in a single layer, cook it in two batches. Crowding steams the chicken instead of browning it and you lose the fond you need for the sauce.
Add the Parmesan gradually over low heat, stirring as you go. Dumping it in all at once over high heat is how you end up with clumps instead of a smooth sauce.
Let the broth actually reduce by about a third before you add the butter and cheese. If you rush that step the sauce will be thin and will not cling to the pasta.

If the sauce turns out too thick or thin

Too thick: stir in reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time over low heat until it loosens. The starch in that water helps it stay silky.
Too thin: let it simmer an extra minute or two before adding the pasta, or stir in a small extra handful of Parmesan.
Sauce broke and looks greasy: your heat was too high when the cheese went in. Pull the pan off the heat, add a splash of pasta water, and stir steadily until it comes back together.

Substitutions

Boneless skinless chicken thighs work well here and stay a little juicier than breast if you tend to run hot on your burners. Vegetable broth stands in for chicken broth without changing much. Pecorino Romano is sharper than Parmesan but works if that is what you have. For a creamier sauce, whisk in two tablespoons of cream cheese after the broth reduces, before the butter goes in.

For the pasta shape, rigatoni or rotini hold the sauce just as well as penne. If someone at your table does not eat gluten, a sturdy chickpea or lentil pasta holds up better here than rice pasta, which tends to get mushy when you toss it in the skillet.

Make-ahead and storage

You can slice the chicken and store it covered in the fridge for up to 24 hours before cooking. Grating the Parmesan ahead and keeping it in a small container saves a step on busy nights too. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The pasta will absorb most of the sauce as it sits, so reheat in a skillet over medium heat with a few tablespoons of water or chicken broth, stirring until everything loosens back up and is hot through.

This one does not freeze well. The zucchini gets soft and watery after thawing and the sauce does not come back together cleanly. Stick to fridge storage and finish it within a few days.

Brittany Stage