1. Prep the pasta: Cook to package instructions, and add plenty of salt to the water for better flavor (and salt makes the water boil quicker!). Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
2. Thinly slice the shallot and mince the garlic because you’ll need them ready immediately after the chicken.
3. Slice the chicken in half horizontally into thinner cutlets, then cover with plastic wrap and pound to even thickness. In a small bowl, combine the spices. Then sprinkle the spices onto both sides of the chicken.
4. Preheat a large pan to medium-high heat with avocado oil. Once hot, add the chicken in a single layer. Sear for 1 1/2 – 3 minutes on each side, depending on thickness, until cooked through (165ºF in the center). Remove from pan and place onto a plate.
5. Immediately reduce to low heat and add the thinly sliced shallots. Stir for 30 seconds, then add the minced garlic and stir for another 30 seconds. Pour 1/3 cup of broth into the pan to deglaze, scraping up all the brown pieces from the bottom of the pan and incorporating into the dish – this all has so much flavor!
6. Pour in the 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water (if the pasta isn’t done at this point, then remove the pan from the heat so that you don’t simmer off all the broth – then just put the pan back onto the heat once you have the pasta water ready).
7. Add the spinach to the pan and stir around for a minute or two until wilted – the steaming broth and pasta water will cook it down pretty quickly. I know it seems like a lot of spinach at first but it cooks down a lot.
8. Add the container of ricotta cheese and incorporate into the dish.
9. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and the salt and incorporate. I used 2 large lemons (both zest and juice), but adjust to taste – this will be personal preference, especially since every lemon is different in size and juiciness.
10. Slice up the chicken, add to the sauce, and heat for a minute to make sure the chicken is hot again.
11. To serve: Either serve the sauce directly over the cooked pasta, or toss everything together to coat all the pasta. Garnish with fresh grated parmesan, lemon zest, and thinly sliced chives.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

To reheat leftovers: Put a serving of pasta into a pot and add a generous splash of milk. If heating more than one serving, then add more milk accordingly. The milk really helps the sauce become creamy again, so don’t skimp too much on it! Heat on medium and stir often until hot.

Notes:

• I tossed the pasta together with the sauce and chicken personally. If you are using a long pasta like fettuccine, then you’ll likely want to just serve the sauce over the pasta instead of tossing together.
• I always recommend testing the chicken with a meat thermometer – it should be 165ºF in the center – this way you don’t have to slice into it (letting juices escape and therefore making it tough) and you also don’t end up overcooking it.. Mine was about 2 minutes on each side. Remove from pan and place onto a plate, cover, and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing to keep the chicken juicy.