German-Style Smoky Chicken Penne
with Dark Meat Chicken, Zucchini & Lemon
- Wheat
- Milk
Smoky, tangy, and creamy are the hallmarks of this delicious and quick (20-minute!) pasta. You’ll toss sautéed dark meat chicken and zucchini with al dente penne in a tangy lemon cream sauce swirled with smoky mustard. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and shower of fresh green chives, and dig right in!
Ingredients
1 unit
Zucchini
1 unit
Lemon
¼ ounce
Chives
6 ounce
Penne Pasta
(Contains: Wheat)
20 ounce
Diced Skinless Dark Meat Chicken
1 ounce
Smoky Mustard
4 tablespoon
Cream Cheese
(Contains: Milk)
1 unit
Veggie Stock Concentrate
Not included in your delivery
Salt
Pepper
Cooking Oil
Nutrition Values
Utensils
Cooking Steps
• Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Wash and dry produce. • Trim and halve zucchini lengthwise; cut crosswise into 1⁄4-inch-thick half-moons. Quarter lemon. Finely chop chives.
• Once water is boiling, add pasta to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 9-11 minutes. • Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water (2 cups for 4 servings), then drain.
• While pasta cooks, open package of chicken* and drain off any excess liquid. • Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken in a single layer and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and almost cooked through, 3 minutes. • Add zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally, until zucchini is lightly browned and chicken is cooked through, 2-3 minutes more.
• While chicken mixture cooks, in a medium bowl, whisk together mustard, cream cheese, stock concentrate, 1⁄2 cup reserved pasta cooking water, and juice from one lemon wedge (3⁄4 cup pasta cooking water and juice from two lemon wedges for 4 servings). TIP: If pasta isn’t done cooking, ladle water directly from pot.
• Reduce heat under pan with chicken mixture to low and stir in mustard sauce. Cook, stirring constantly, until warmed through and thoroughly combined, 1-2 minutes. • Add drained pasta to pan; toss to thoroughly coat. Taste and add a squeeze of lemon juice; season with salt and pepper if desired.
• Divide pasta between shallow bowls and top with chives. Serve with any remaining lemon wedges on the side.
Chicken is fully cooked when internal temperature reaches 165°.
Customer reviews
Review summary
Updated on Dec 2025- Flavor: Some loved the unique smoky mustard sauce; others found it overpowering or odd with pasta.
- Ease of prep: Many praised how quick and simple this dish was to prepare.
- Suggestions: Consider adding more sauce, seasoning, or veggies like mushrooms or peppers for extra flavor.
- Portions: A few wanted more chicken and less pasta for better balance.
- Texture: Some found the dark meat chicken too fatty; others appreciated its tenderness.
