Servings: 6 people 12 oz spaghetti 1 1/2 lbs chicken tenders 1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt 1/2 tsp black pepper 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided 3/4 cup dry white wine, chardonnay or sauvignon blanc 4 garlic cloves, (1 Tbsp minced) 1 tsp lemon zest, from 1 lemon 1/4 cup lemon juice, from 2 lemons 1/3 cup parsley, finely chopped Parmesan, freshly shredded to serve
Prep: chop, zest, juice, and mince all of your ingredients before you start cooking. Season chicken tenders with salt and pepper then dredge in flour.
Cook pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 2 Tbsp salt. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water then drain the pasta and return pasta to the pot. Partially cover to keep warm.
Sautee chicken while pasta cooks. Heat a big skillet on medium/high. Add 1 Tbsp oil and whisk in 1 Tbsp butter. Cook chicken for 2 minutes per side until browned and 165˚F on a thermometer. Transfer to plate. Another Tbsp oil and 1 Tbsp butter sauté the second batch of chicken, then place to a plate to keep warm.
Sauce: Carefully add 3/4 cup white wine. Deglaze the pan over medium/high heat by scraping the bottom. Cook 5 minutes to 1/4 cup liquid. Pour in 4 tablespoons butter and melt. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds to aromatic. Remove from heat and add 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1 tsp zest, and 1/4 cup parsley. Mix and season with 1/2 tsp salt or to taste.
Combine: Return chicken to pan and cover with sauce. Pour excess sauce over cooked spaghetti in a big bowl after draining it. Stir spaghetti lightly with sauce, add chicken, then pour remaining sauce over noodles. Add extra parsley and freshly grated parmesan.