Lemon Linguine with Grilled Chicken

I think I am officially back to cooking regular meals. It feels good. I don't like being in limbo, but I think we've got a little more stability around here now and I can actually get to my kitchen and cooking utensils.

Now on to the meal. I have eaten this lemon linguine many times but I have never made it! This is one of my mom's regular meals and I always ate it when she made it. It is so delicious and refreshing. The fresh flavors of the lemon, tomato and basil just shout spring.

For the tomato mixture:
2 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered
1-2 tsp. salt
2-4 leaves fresh basil
2 Tbsp. dry basil
2 Tbsp. parsley
2-4 garlic cloves, minced
4 Tbsp. olive oil
juice of 2 lemons

For the sauce:
4 Tbsp. butter
1 cup half and half
juice of 2 lemons
zest of 1 lemon

For the chicken:
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenders
olive oil
your favorite grill seasoning, such as Montreal Chicken Seasoning, or Johnny's Garlic Spread seasoning

1/2 lb. linguine*
Parmesan cheese

2-3 hours prior to mealtime, combine all ingredients of the tomato mixture and let sit on the counter until you're ready to eat.

For the sauce, heat cream and butter in a medium skillet until cream begins to boil. Add lemon juice and zest. Reduce sauce over medium-high heat until reduced by half; stir occasionally.

In the meantime, preheat outdoor grill and fill a large stockpot with water. Salt the water, cover with a lid and bring to a boil. Drizzle olive oil over chicken and sprinkle with seasoning. Place chicken on grill an cook until no longer pink; about 5 minutes on each side.

When the water comes to a boil, drop the pasta and cook according to package directions. Remove chicken from grill and let rest. Cut into thin slices.

Drain pasta and place in a large serving dish. Pour in sauce and toss to combine. Top with grated Parmesan cheese.

To serve, spoon pasta onto a plate, followed by the sliced chicken and topped with the tomato mixture.

*I think my mom may use close to a whole pound of pasta for this sauce but I like a lot of sauce on my pasta so 1/2 lb. is just the right amount for me.

This recipe linked to Potluck Sunday @ Mommy's Kitchen.