Creamy Mushroom Penne with Chicken and Zucchini

Steps

1. Prep first: slice the mushrooms and zucchini, dice the onion, mince the garlic, cut the chicken and chop the parsley.
2. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot with half the salt. Cook the pasta until al dente, then reserve 1 cup of the cooking water and drain the pasta.
3. While the pasta cooks, heat one third of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with a quarter of the remaining salt and sear until browned and cooked to 165°F (74°C), 6 to 7 minutes; move to a plate.
4. Add another third of the olive oil and the zucchini to the skillet; cook until golden at the edges, about 4 minutes, and add to the chicken.
5. Add the last third of the olive oil, the mushrooms and the onion; cook until the mushrooms are browned and their liquid has cooked off, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and thyme for 1 minute.
6. Pour in the chicken broth and simmer 3 minutes, scraping up the browned bits. Lower the heat and stir in the ricotta, Parmesan, black pepper and the rest of the salt until creamy.
7. Add the drained pasta, chicken and zucchini, tossing over low heat and splashing in reserved pasta water as needed for a glossy sauce.
8. Stir in the lemon juice, scatter with the parsley and serve hot.