Chicken in Lemon Cream with Penne

From Every Day Pasta – Gilda DeLaurentiis

1lb penne pasta
3 Tbsp EVOO
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, diced into 1-inch cubes
1 tsp herbes de Provence
Pinch of salt, plus ½ teaspoon
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper, plus ¼ teaspoon
1 C reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 C heavy cream
Zest of 1 lemon
Pinch of cayenne pepper
¼ C chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 8-10 minutes. Drain.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Season the cubed chicken breast with the herbes de Provence and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook the chicken until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken and set aside. Pour off any excess oil from the pan. Add the chicken broth to the pan and cook over medium-high heat, using a wooden spoon to scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the cream, lemon zest, and cayenne. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the pasta, chicken, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, chopped parsley, and lemon juice. Toss to coat the pasta and chicken with the sauce and serve.