Wide pappardelle, golden-brown chicken and artichoke hearts come together in a light sauce of stock, lemon and tarragon. Some of the artichoke gently melts into the sauce; the rest stays firm enough to add a bit of texture.
This is a contemporary pasta dish with French and Italian influences, not a classic regional preparation. Pappardelle is a wide ribbon pasta that works well with a sauce containing pieces of chicken and artichoke: the ribbons soak up the thin, lightly thickened stock without making the dish heavy. Tarragon adds a gentle anise flavor, while lemon balances the savory artichoke and buttery sauce. Use fresh tarragon if it looks good; dried tarragon is stronger and has a somewhat less fresh aroma.
Jarred or canned artichoke hearts make this dish practical all year round. Drain them well and pat them dry if needed, so they don’t add unnecessary moisture to the pan. The tender hearts are already cooked, so the aim isn’t to cook them for a long time. Letting some simmer briefly in the pan adds flavor to the stock; the reserved pieces are added later and retain more bite. Use artichokes packed in oil only if you drain them well, and bear in mind that they’re already seasoned.
The chicken is browned over high heat first. Those browned edges add extra savoriness to the sauce, but cook the pieces in a single layer and, if needed, in two batches: an overcrowded pan steams the chicken instead of browning it. The stock can then loosen the browned bits from the pan. Let the chicken finish cooking in the stock; cut the pieces to roughly the same size and make sure they’re cooked all the way through. Meanwhile, cook the pappardelle separately. Save some of the cooking water, because its starch helps the butter, stock and lemon juice come together into a sauce that clings to the pasta.
No pappardelle on hand? Tagliatelle or wide ribbons of another pasta shape work too; follow the cooking time on the package and taste as you go. Boneless chicken thighs stay juicy and can replace the chicken breast, but usually need a few minutes longer. If you don’t have tarragon, use finely chopped parsley with a little extra lemon zest; this changes the herb flavor, but keeps the sauce fresh. Add the lemon juice gradually so the acidity doesn’t overpower the other flavors.
Serve the pasta straight away, dividing the chicken and artichoke among the plates and spooning the sauce over the top. A simple green salad with a sharp vinaigrette goes well with it, as does crusty bread for mopping up the sauce. You can quickly reheat leftovers in a pan with a splash of water or stock; stir gently and heat until everything is piping hot. The pasta softens as it sits and absorbs the sauce, so don’t make the sauce extra thick if you’re planning on leftovers.
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the pappardelle until al dente, following the package directions. Before draining, scoop out a mugful of pasta water.
Pat the chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken all over in a single layer; work in two batches if needed. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook the shallot in the same pan for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Halve any larger artichoke hearts. Add about half to the pan and cook for 2 minutes.
Pour in the stock and scrape up the browned bits. Add the chicken and any juices on the plate and simmer gently for 5–7 minutes, until the chicken is cooked all the way through. Add the remaining artichoke hearts for the last 2 minutes.
Stir the lemon zest and butter into the sauce. Add the drained pappardelle, lemon juice, tarragon and Parmesan. Toss to coat, adding pasta water a little at a time until the sauce is lightly glossy and clings to the ribbons. Taste and season with salt, pepper and, if needed, more lemon juice.
Divide among four plates straight away, distributing the chicken, artichoke and sauce evenly.
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