LEMON CHICKEN CHICKPEA PASTA

A crispy, gluten-free garlic crusted chicken tossed in tender chickpea pasta & drenched with a homemade creamy lemon pepper pasta sauce. This is hands down my new favorite dish! Totally organic, guilt-free, & definitely delicious!
PREP: 15 M // COOK: 25 M // BAKE: 15 M // LEVEL: EASY

IS CHICKPEA PASTA GOOD?

You’re probably curious about how chickpea pasta tastes and I don’t blame you! I was curious, too. This was my first time trying it and in 100% honesty, I did not notice a big difference at all! It doesn’t have a distinctive taste, so you can season it and drench it with whatever sauce you like and you have a delicious pasta! I am SO happy I ended up loving it, because it is such an amazing replacement for plain old pasta that doesn’t have any nutritional value. Chickpea pasta is loaded with protein, fiber, healthy fats, and other nutrients! Yes, it has carbs, but they’re good carbs! Super excited about making even more dishes with it!!!

INGREDIENTS.

  • Organic chickpea pasta, I used this one.
  • Chicken tenders
  • 2 eggs
  • Gluten-free panko breadcrumbs, I used this one.
  • Salt
  • Black pepper
  • Garlic powder
  • Crushed red pepper
  • Basil
  • 1 cup organic chicken broth
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 lemons
  • 1.5 tbsp cornstarch

DIRECTIONS.

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Clean the chicken tenders and peel the skin off, if any, and pat dry. Generously season with salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
  2. In a shallow bowl, whisk two eggs. In another shallow bowl, pour the gluten-free breadcrumbs. Dip each tender in the egg on both sides and let the extra egg run off. Then, dip the tenders into the breadcrumbs to fully coat them.
  3. In a large and shallow saucepan, heat the butter and olive oil on medium-high heat until the butter is melted. Cook the tenders until they are crispy and golden on both sides, covering the pan. Sprinkle some basil and black pepper on the crust as you flip them, then place them on a baking sheet to pop in the oven for another 15 minutes at 400°, or until you’re done with the sauce and pasta.
  4. Bring a saucepan with water to a boil, add salt and black pepper, and then lightly boil the chickpea pasta for about 7-10 minutes, or until tender, while stirring frequently. Do not let it boil over! As soon as it’s done, drain it, or leave it in the water with the heat off until the rest of the food is done!
  5. While the pasta is cooking and the chicken is in the oven, begin making the pasta sauce. In a small saucepan, whisk together the chicken broth, heavy cream, and lemon on medium-high heat. Stir in salt, black pepper, garlic powder, basil, and crushed red pepper. Allow it to gently boil for for a couple minutes.
  6. In a small cup, add about 1/4 cup warm water and mix in the cornstarch really well. Then, slowly pour it into the sauce as you whisk it. This should almost immediately thicken the sauce! As soon as it thickens, turn the heat on low and allow it to simmer for a few minutes. Taste the sauce to adjust any seasonings to your preference.
  7. After the tenders are fully cooked, carefully slice them into strips. Now, pack your bowl! Add your pasta, toss in your chicken, and pour on that creamy lemon pasta sauce! Top it off with more black pepper, crushed red pepper, and basil, and you’re ready to eat the best healthy pasta dish you’ll ever have!

ENJOY!