Baked Lemon Pasta

1 lb penne pasta (or any other pasta)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 whole lemon, juiced and zested

1 2/3 cups sour cream

2 tablespoons heavy cream (optional)

1 ½ cups parmesan, romano, or asiago cheese

Salt and Pepper

1 ½ cup cooked diced chicken (optional)

¾ cup Panko bread crumbs

1 ½ tablespoons butter, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook pasta in boiling, salted water until al dente. Reserve pasta water.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet over low-medium heat. When butter is melted, add minced garlic and cook until softened, a few minutes. Add lemon juice and zest. Turn off heat.

Add sour cream, heavy cream if using, and about 1 cup of cheese and stir mixture until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Add a few spoonfuls of the pasta water to thin the sauce a bit. Add chicken if using. Combine mixture with cooked and drained pasta in an oven safe dish.

Bake, covered, for about 15-20 minutes, until heated through. Remove foil. Combine bread crumbs and remaining cheese, sprinkle evenly on top of pasta. Place butter slices evenly on top of pasta. Return to oven. Cook, uncovered, until golden brown on top, about another 15-20 minutes.