Does Dinner Have You Pulling Your Hair Out?

My evenings have grown extremely hectic with the advent of homework, afterschool sports activities, Boy Scouts, and a new job all-the-while trying to maintain some sort of family time and supplying my husband and children with healthy, somewhat homemade dinners.  I understand that I am not the only person dealing with this dilemma.  Working and stay-at-home parents alike often find more that they can chew on their proverbial plates.  Putting together a fast, nutritional meal often becomes a daunting task and ordering pizza or picking up take out from a local restaurant becomes par for the course.  This doesn't have to be the case.  Quick and easily prepared meals can be achieved!  The following recipe really is a snap.  It has been tried and tested and, wait for it... has my family's seal of approval - kids and husband (which is a feat in itsself.)

Chicken Piccata Pasta

Ingredients:

1.5 lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
3 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 1/2 Tbs. Lemon Pepper Seasoning
3 cans Chicken Stock
1 box Penne Pasta
1/4 C Capers in brine, drained and rinsed
1/4 C Heavy Cream
1 Lemon
Kosher Salt
1/2 Onion, diced
1 Tbs. Fresh Parsley, chopped

Directions:

Cut chicken into 1 inch cubes.  Place 1 Tbs. Olive Oil in large bowl and stir in Lemon Pepper seasoning.  Toss in chicken and thoroughly coat with oil/seasoning mixture.  Heat remaining oil in Large skillet over med high heat.  Add chicken when oil is heated and begins to glisten.  While chicken is cooking, heat stock in a large glass Pyrex measuring cup to boiling in the microwave.  Brown chicken slightly, do not cook through.  Remove chicken from pan and set aside.  Add onion to skillet and saute for 1 min.  Combine pasta with onion and pour in hot chicken stock cooking on med-high heat until pasta is cooked through, 10-12 minutes depending upon pasta (we like Barilla whole wheat).  When pasta is al dente, add heavy cream, zest the lemon into pan and then squeeze the juice from the lemon right into pan as well.  Add chicken and collected juices to pasta mixture and cook through 2-3 minutes.  Season with kosher salt to taste.  Top off with capers and parsley. Enjoy!

Serves 6

I like to serve steamed broccoli on the side sprinkled with a little of the lemon pepper seasoning.  Approximately 30 minutes from refrigerator to plate.