Ingredients:

  • 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half horizontally
  • 1 tsp sweet paprika
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • ½ tsp sea salt flakes
  • ½ tsp cracked black pepper
  • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 brown onion, finely diced
  • 1 tbsp freshly minced garlic
  • 1 carrot, finely diced
  • 2 celery stalks, finely diced
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • ¼ cup (35 g) plain (all-purpose) flour
  • 4 cups (1 litre) chicken stock
  • 2 cups (500 ml) water
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • ¼ tsp cracked black pepper, plus extra to serve
  • 150 g (5½ oz) vermicelli egg noodles or angel hair pasta
  • 1 zucchini (courgette), finely diced
  • 1 cup (250 ml) thickened (heavy) cream
  • 1 cup (100 g) freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus extra to serve
  • 2 tbsp freshly chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, plus extra to serve
  • 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

Instructions:

  1. Sprinkle chicken with paprika, thyme, salt, and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat and cook chicken for 2 minutes on each side until golden. Set aside.
  2. In the same pan, add diced onion, garlic, carrot, and celery. Cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add butter; once melted, add flour and stir for 1 minute to create a paste.
  3. Pour in chicken stock, water, thyme, oregano, and pepper. Whisk to combine and bring to a simmer. Return the chicken to the pan. Cover and cook for 10 minutes over medium-low heat.
  4. Remove chicken from the pan. Shred using two forks and set aside.
  5. Add noodles, zucchini, and cream to the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the pasta is just tender. Off the heat, stir in shredded chicken, parmesan, parsley, and lemon juice. Adjust thickness with boiling water if necessary.
  6. Serve hot, garnished with extra cracked black pepper, parsley, and parmesan.