Pasta with Preserved Lemon, Chicken, and Spinach

Pasta Limone is one of those recipes that punches well above its weight. Butter, garlic, lemon, a ladleful of starchy pasta water, a fistful of cheese — it sounds like something you throw together when there's nothing in the fridge, and then you eat it and wonder why you don't make it every week.

This version uses preserved lemon alongside a little fresh juice, which takes the flavour somewhere deeper and more interesting. Most recipes tell you to use only the rind, but fermentation mellows the whole fruit. There's no reason to discard any of it. Chopped fine and added to the butter and garlic, it almost melts into the sauce and threads that salty, funky citrus flavour all the way through. The fresh juice goes in at the end to brighten everything.

The brine is a bonus ingredient that most people pour down the drain. Here it goes onto the chicken as a quick marinade — just a tbsp — before it hits the pan. It seasons the meat in a way plain salt doesn't quite replicate, and both the fruit and the brine caramelize nicely in the heat.

Turning this into a one-dish dinner means being smart about how you add the chicken and spinach. The chicken gets browned separately and added back at the end — if you cook it in the sauce it gets in the way of how the pasta and sauce come together. The spinach goes in raw with the hot drained pasta, wilting gently in the residual heat rather than cooking down and going soggy. The Aleppo pepper goes on last, adding warmth without heat.

A few things to know before you start. Have everything prepped before you turn on the heat — the sauce moves quickly. Save at least two cups of pasta water; it's what makes the sauce glossy and emulsified rather than dry. Add the pecorino off the heat and toss continuously so it melts in smoothly. Taste at the end: you want the lemon bright and present, not overwhelming. Start with the smaller amount of fresh juice and add more if it needs it.

We use Belazu preserved lemons. Consistent and well-balanced.

Pasta with Preserved Lemon, Chicken & Spinach

Serves 4

500 g tagliatelle nests
1 lb chicken breasts, thinly sliced
1 tbsp Belazu preserved lemon brine
freshly ground black pepper (Tellicherry or Kampot)
1 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp finely chopped garlic
1½ small Belazu preserved lemons, seeded and finely chopped (2 tbsp)
142 g baby spinach
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan  or pecorino cheese, plus more to finish
1 tsp Épices de Cru Aleppo pepper
2 tbsp strained fresh lemon juice

1. Toss chicken with preserved lemon brine and season with black pepper. Set aside. Have all remaining ingredients prepped and ready before you begin cooking.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
3. Heat a large frying pan over high heat. Add olive oil and swirl to coat. Working in batches, sauté the chicken for 2-3 minutes until lightly browned and just cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
4. Reduce heat to low. Add butter and garlic and cook gently for about 1 minute, just until fragrant, scraping up any browned bits from the pan. Stir in the chopped preserved lemon and about half of the Aleppo pepper. Keep the pan on very low heat while you cook the pasta.
5. Cook the pasta to al dente. Reserve 2 cups of pasta cooking water, then drain well.
6. Return the hot pasta to the pot, add the spinach, and toss for 30–60 seconds until just wilted.
7. Add the pasta and spinach to the pan along with a splash of pasta water. Toss well, adding more water a little at a time until the sauce becomes glossy and emulsified.
8. Return the chicken to the pan and toss to combine.
9. Remove from heat. Add the Parmesan gradually, tossing continuously until melted and the sauce is silky. Add 2 tablespoons of the fresh lemon juice and toss again. Taste and add more lemon juice if needed — the flavour should be bright and balanced, not sharp. Finish with freshly ground black pepper, the remaining Aleppo pepper, and extra pecorino.