One-Pan Creamy Lemon Pasta with Chicken and Asparagus

This was a very tasty pasta dish we enjoyed recently. Creamy, tangy, fresh, and satisfying. I love the combination of lemon, chicken, and asparagus. You just can't beat it! This meal goes well with a fresh salad and some crusty bread, or stands alone very well too.

Can I just take a minute and say how the heck is it December already??! I just can't seem to wrap my head around how fast the days are flying by. I am watching the New Year looming on the horizon and am shocked and excited that it's time for another year to arrive. We will be visiting our family in Washington state for the Christmas holiday - it will be a very short trip but one I'm very much looking forward to. I haven't taken Lindsey to Washington since she was 9 months old, and she'll be close to 3 1/2 by the time of the trip. There have been some health issues with some of our family members and it's time for a visit and a chance to hug a few necks we've all been missing. No one, except for my dad and step mom who flew down to visit a year ago, has seen Kent since his stroke a year ago either and it will be a little bit nerve wracking travelling for the first time since that event, but I'm hopeful things will go smoothly. It is just THREE WEEKS until Christmas!!

One-Pan Creamy Lemon Pasta with Chicken and Asparagus adapted from Cooking Classy

Ingredients
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced into 1-inch cubes
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 TBS butter
1 TBS minced garlic
1 (14.5 oz) can chicken broth
1 3/4 cups water
10 oz. penne pasta
1 lb. thin stalks asparagus, tough ends trimmed, remaining diced into 1 1/2-inch pieces
4 oz. cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 TBS fresh lemon juice
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a 12-inch saute pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken, season with salt and pepper to taste and cook until golden brown on bottom, about 4 minutes then rotate and cook until cooked through, about 4 minutes longer. Transfer to a sheet of foil and wrap to keep warm, set aside.
2. Melt butter in now empty skillet, add garlic and saute 20 seconds then and broth and water, while stirring to loosen any browned bites from bottom of pan. Season with salt and pepper to taste and bring to a boil, then add pasta. Cover and allow to boil until fairly tender, stirring occasionally, about 8 - 9 minutes. Sprinkle asparagus over top (don't stir), cover and allow to boil 4 - 5 minutes longer until asparagus and pasta are tender (note that there should be some broth/water left even once it's finished cooking, this will be part of the sauce. If needed you can add more broth). Add in cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice and lemon zest and stir until melted. Stir in chicken. Remove from heat, cover and let rest a few minutes if desired to allow sauce to thicken slightly and soak into pasta. Sprinkle with parsley if desired, serve warm.