Lemony Chicken and Spinach Pasta

Wash your hands. Rinse and dry the zucchini, lemon and parsley, along with the spinach if it is not labeled prewashed. Trim the zucchini and cut it into 1/4-inch-thick half-moons. Mince the garlic and chop the parsley. Finely grate 1 teaspoon lemon zest, avoiding the white pith, then squeeze 3 tablespoons juice. Tear any unusually large spinach leaves into smaller pieces.

Cut the chicken into 1-inch pieces on a separate cutting board from the prepared produce. Do not rinse raw chicken. Season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and the black pepper. Wash your hands and clean the knife, board and surfaces after handling the chicken.

Bring the 3 quarts water to a boil in the large pot. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the chicken in a single layer. Cook undisturbed for about 3 minutes, then turn and cook for another 3–5 minutes, until browned and the largest pieces reach 165°F in the center. Transfer to a clean plate. Repeat with the second tablespoon oil and remaining chicken.

Add 2 teaspoons salt and the penne to the boiling water. Cook according to the package timing until al dente, stirring occasionally. Before draining, carefully reserve 1 cup of the cooking water.

While the pasta cooks, add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Sauté for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and just tender. Reduce the heat to medium, add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring. If the pasta is not ready, reduce the heat to low briefly.

Add 1/2 cup reserved pasta water to the skillet and scrape up the browned bits. Return the chicken and its collected juices to the pan. Add the spinach in two batches, stirring until wilted, about 1–2 minutes.

Add the drained penne and toss over medium heat for 1–2 minutes, until the chicken is hot and the pasta is coated. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice and all the parsley. Add the remaining reserved pasta water 2 tablespoons at a time only if needed to make the sauce light and glossy rather than watery; discard any unused water.