Mushrooms, Zucchini & Tomatoes

Yield: 2

Silky Penne with a rich mushroom stock, a lemony, chive-flecked crème fraîche sauce, zucchini, chicken and tomatoes, and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.
Prep: 5 Cook: 30

• 1zucchini
• ¼oz chives or scallions
  
• 10oz chicken breast
• 1TBS Italian seasoning
• 3TBS Parmesan cheese
• 4oz button mushrooms
• 4oz grape tomatoes
• 1lemon
• 6oz penne pasta (or Cavatappi)
• 1oz mushroom stock concentrate
• 4TBS crème fraîche (or sour cream)
• salt & pepper
• 1TBS olive oil
• 1tsp cooking oil
• 1½TBS butter

Prep:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Wash and dry produce.

Trim and quarter zucchini lengthwise, cut crosswise into ½-inch-thick pieces. Trim and thinly slice mushrooms. Halve tomatoes. Mince chives or scallions. Quarter lemon. Cut chicken into ¼-inch-thick bite sized slices.

Cook zucchini:

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add zucchini, season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden-brown and softened, 4- to 6-minutes.

Cook mushrooms:

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in pan used for zucchini over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden-brown and slightly crispy, 5- to 7-minutes.

Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl with zucchini. Wash out pan.

Cook chicken:

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in pan used for mushrooms over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden-brown and cooked through 5- to 7-minutes.

Turn off heat, season with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl with mushrooms and zucchini. Wipe out pan.

Cook pasta:

Once water is boiling, add penne to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 9-11 minutes.

Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain.

Make sauce: 

While penne cooks, heat ½ TBS butter and a drizzle of olive oil in pan used for chicken over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes and season with 1 tsp Italian Seasoning, salt, and pepper.  Cook, stirring, until tomatoes are softened, 2- to 4-minutes.

Stir in half the chives and juice from half the lemon.

Reduce heat to low, then stir in stock concentrate and ¼ cup reserved pasta cooking water.

Whisk in crème fraîche, season with salt and pepper.

Finish & serve:

Add zucchini, mushrooms, chicken, and drained penne to pan with sauce, stir to combine. Stir in 1 TBS butter until melted.

Tip: If needed, stir in more pasta cooking water a splash at a time until pasta is coated in a creamy sauce.

Divide pasta between bowls. Sprinkle with Parmesan and remaining chives. Serve with remaining lemon wedges on the side.