Easy weeknight dinners never go out of style, and no matter what August serves up for you — a new job, going back to school, returning to church or working from home — my Lemon Thyme Linguine made with pantry staples, can certainly take the guesswork out of dinnertime and give you one less thing to juggle.  

My freezer is always stocked with boneless skinless chicken breasts. They’re affordable, extremely versatile, flavorful and even healthy when cooked with care. Earlier this year when the pandemic was new to us all, I wrote a column about pantry staples and shared several easy recipes for at-home cooking (In case you missed it, visit SomeKindaGood.com). This pasta dish is one of those. Made with frozen broccoli, the broccoli and pasta cook simultaneously to help save time. A delicious lemon butter sauce ties everything together and dinner is on the table in 30 minutes. To round out the meal, serve it with a fresh baguette from your local bread maker.

I love to hear feedback from readers on social media. Jason, a Facebook follower from Savannah, recently commented on this recipe: “Very tasty. It was Some Kinda Good!” he said. “The broccoli really compliments the pasta. I’ve never tried that before. Loved the wine sauce with the butter and garlic!” I hope you’ll love it too. 

Some Kinda Good Lemon Thyme Linguine

Ingredients:

• 1/2 of a 16 oz. box of linguine, cooked according to package directions

• 1/2 of a 16 oz. bag of frozen broccoli

• 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

• 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts

• Salt

• Lemon pepper

For the sauce:

• 1/2 medium onion, minced

• 2 large cloves of garlic, minced

• 1 cup Sauvignon Blanc white wine

• 6 oz. unsalted butter, divided

• 1 large lemon, juice and zest

• 1 tbsp. Dijon or regular mustard

• 5 sprigs fresh thyme, divided

• Salt and pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions. When pasta is placed in the boiling water, also add broccoli directly from the freezer. There is no need to thaw it. Once cooked, drain, reserving a few tablespoons of pasta water and set aside. In a medium skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high. Season chicken breasts on both sides with lemon pepper and salt. Cook for about 4 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the chicken, turning once. Remove chicken to a plate and let rest.

In the same skillet, saute onion until translucent, about two minutes. You may need to add a teaspoon more oil if the pan is dry. Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add 4 ounces of butter and stir until melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add wine, lemon juice, zest and mustard and increase heat to high, bringing to a boil. Once boiling, add three sprigs of fresh thyme and reduce heat to medium-low. Add in remaining butter and stir. Simmer until the liquid has reduced slightly and thickened. Remove thyme and discard.

In a medium bowl, toss remaining pasta water, pasta and broccoli with the lemon butter sauce. Garnish with remaining fresh thyme.

Rebekah Faulk Lingenfelser is the author of the best selling memoir “Some Kinda Good.” Featured in Forbes, on Food Network and ABC, she writes about Southern, coastal cuisine, locally sourced and in-season. Connect with her on social media by liking Some Kinda Good

on Facebook, or follow @SKGFoodBlog on Instagram and Twitter. To learn more, visit RebekahLingenfelser.com.