Recipes

Lemon Pasta with Chicken and Vegetables

This super fresh pasta dish will leave you feeling light and airy – it's the perfect dinner to make before an endurance event

By Catherine RBarr /

Credit: Catherine Roscoe Barr

This dish is a sports nutrition win with its lean protein from chicken, range of vitamins and minerals from colourful vegetables, and low-calorie seasoning of lemon, garlic and olive oil

This super healthy pasta dish skips the creamy sauce in favour of lemon and olive oil – perfect for a pre-race meal

Last month we spent four wonderful days at the Watermark Beach Resort in Osoyoos surrounding the Granfondo Axel Merckx in Penticton, a long distance road cycling race that my husband, two friends of ours and myself rode in – they did the 160 kilometre Granfondo and I did the 55 kilometre Cortofondo.

The Watermark was the perfect place to stay not only because of its gorgeous setting on Osoyoos Lake or its supremely comfy beds – all suites have fully stocked kitchens, and the pool deck has two BBQs, so you can carefully monitor your nutrition leading up to the race.

This dish was a huge hit and I’ve already made it again at home. I love the freshness of the lemon and vegetables, it leaves you feeling satisfied and not weighted down like an alfredo might.

Read the full story of our cycling training, stay at the Watermark, and participation in the Axel Merckx Grandfondo.

Ingredients

  • 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • Seasoning salt to taste
  • 6 servings of spaghetti, cooked according to package instructions
  • 1 head broccoli, chopped
  • 1 red pepper, chopped
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 lemon, juiced and rind grated
  • 3 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

  1. Season chicken breasts and cook on BBQ until no longer pink inside and juices run clear.
  2. Slice chicken into bite-sized pieces.
  3. Meanwhile, in large frying pan, heat 1 tsp oil over medium heat.
  4. Cook onion and garlic and remove to separate bowl.
  5. Add another tsp of oil to frying pan and cook broccoli, stirring often.
  6. After about 2 minutes, add 2 tbsp water to pan to steam broccoli.
  7. When water has evaporated, add red pepper and cook for one minute.
  8. When pasta is cooked, add lemon juice and rind to saucepan and stir well to combine.
  9. Add chicken, lemon pasta, onions and garlic to frying pan with broccoli and red pepper, stirring well to combine.
  10. Cook for about 1 or 2 minutes, or until all ingredients are hot.
  11. Serve immediately.

Serves 6