Lime Chicken Linguine W/Cilantro Cream Sauce & Roasted Zucch

~Leslie~'s Note:

My husband made this for dinner last night, I don't know where he got the recipe, but man....it was like eating in a 5 star restaurant! Don't let all the steps and ingredients scare you off, this recipe is for the entire meal! The flavour reminded me of being in Costa Rica :) Prep time is marinating time

• Total Time: 1 hrs 35 mins
• Prep Time: 1 hrs
• Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 2

For the Chicken

• ¼ cup lime juice
• 1⁄8; teaspoon garlic powder
• 1⁄8; teaspoon ground cumin
• 1⁄8; teaspoon salt
• 1⁄8; teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

For the Pasta

• 1 (8 ounce) package linguine
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
• 8 cherry tomatoes , quartered

For the Zucchini

• 1 large zucchini , quartered lengthwise
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

For the Cilantro Lime Cream Sauce

• 3 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 3 garlic cloves , minced
• ¼ cup white wine
• ¼ cup chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 1 bunch green onion , thinly sliced

Directions:

1. Whisk together 1/4 cup lime juice, garlic powder, cumin, salt, and pepper in a large bowl; add the chicken breasts. Cover and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours, turning the chicken occasionally.
2. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the cilantro and garlic, cook and stir 1 minute. Pour in the wine, chicken broth, and 2 tablespoons lime juice, and return to a simmer. Transfer the mixture to a blender and blend until smooth. Return the mixture to the sauce pan and stir in the cream and green onions; bring to a boil and remove from heat.
3. Preheat an oven to 425 degrees.
4. Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the linguine, and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 11 minutes.
5. Drain well and transfer linguine to a large mixing bowl; add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the Parmesan cheese, and the quartered cherry tomatoes; toss until the pasta is evenly coated in oil.
6. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the chicken breasts, turning once, until no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 20 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
7. Meanwhile, lie the zucchini on a baking sheet and coat with 1 tablespoon olive oil with a pastry brush. Place zucchini on middle rack in the oven, and bake, turning every 5 minutes, until nicely browned, 15 to 20 minutes.
8. Return Cilantro Cream sauce to the stovetop and re-heat.
9. Lie the zucchini pieces side by side on a serving platter; lie the chicken breasts on the zucchini; pour the cilantro cream sauce over the chicken. Serve with the pasta on the side.
10. If there is some extra sauce, toss it into the pasta -- it's delicious! I found I had pasta left over, so I just re-heated it for lunch the next day :).

Reviews

[Dr. Jenny]

We made this recipe for dinner last night and it did not disappoint. Very flavorful and actually really easy, despite what looks like a long ingredient list. We had no leftovers and followed the directions as posted. Thanks for a nice dinner. Made for ZWT7

[Darkhunter]

Oh, man, ~Leslie~, this is a wonderful dish! I felt like I had died and gone to Zaar heaven! I just can't say enough about this dish. I think for me it was the lime in the marinade and then used again in the sauce. Outstanding! Thnx for sharing this out-of-this-world recipe! (Even though it originated with the TheCharcoalGourmet!) Made for PAC Spring 2010. You've been adopted! http://www.recipezaar.com/bb/viewtopic.zsp?t=327498&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

[Chef #1406224]

This is one of the best dishes I have ever made! It was perfect and had to pinch myself to know that I actually made it and I wasn't dining out! Definitely a keeper!