Heat up the oil in a large pan. Then stir fry the chicken for a few minutes on a medium-high heat until cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside for now.
1 tablespoon olive oil, 10 ounces chicken breast
Add the mushrooms to the pan you cooked the chicken in. Cook until softened (a few minutes). Add the garlic and cook for a minute longer, then add the wine and let sizzle for a moment.
9 ounces mushrooms, 1 clove garlic, ¼ cup white wine
Meanwhile, cook the pasta until 'al dente' (just cooked), or a couple of minutes less than it says on the package.
6 ounces pasta
Now add the lemon zest to the pan, followed by the crème fraiche or cream and most of the parsley. Then stir the cooked chicken back into the mushroom mixture.
Lift the pappardelle out of the cooking water and add directly to the pan using kitchen tongs. Toss everything together well, then add enough cooking water to make the dish loose and silky.
Serve out into two bowls. Sprinkle with the rest of the parsley and parmesan to taste.
grated parmesan cheese
Notes
Pasta: I like pappardelle, but any 'ribbon' pasta works well, such as tagliatelle, fettuccine or linguine. But of course feel free to use any kind of pasta you like.Cook al dente (just cooked, still with a little bite), or according to the package instructions less 2 minutes. When cooked, transfer to the pan straight out of the cooking water and into the pan. If needed, add a little more cooking water to further 'loosen' the sauce.Crème fraîche: This is like a slightly tangy, lighter version of cream. It's nice in this recipe, but feel free to substitute with regular heavy, double or thickened cream. Wine: Feel free to use chicken broth/stock instead of wine if you prefer.Variations: Feel free to add sundried tomatoes, chopped jarred artichokes or fresh or frozen spinach to the sauce towards the end of the cooking time. Try pan frying a little chopped bacon along with the chicken, or sautéing chopped asparagus with the mushrooms.For even more flavor, add a half teaspoon of dried thyme (or even another dried herb) with the garlic and mushrooms.Meatless Monday? Make this dish vegetarian by skipping the chicken - it's just as delicious!