Pasta with Lemon Ricotta Cream Sauce

Found this pasta dish on Heather's Dish and immediately wanted to make it.  We love ricotta and I knew that the lemon would make it really interesting!  I had never thought of making a pasta sauce with ricotta so I had to try this out.  The recipe suggested cooking the sauce down for 3-4 minutes so it could thicken, but I would do this differently next time.  We thought it got too thick and wasn't creamy enough and ended up adding some half & half.  I'm sharing how I would fix this next time.  The flavor of the lemon was seriously so yummy and refreshing though!

Ingredients:
1 lb pasta (I used whole wheat thin spaghetti)
1 head broccoli, cut into florets
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup reserved pasta water
1/2 cup half & half (optional if needed)
3 tablespoons butter (optional if needed)
1 cup parmesan cheese
1 tsp garlic powder
5 garlic cloves
juice & zest from 1 lemon
2 chicken breasts, italian seasoning for chicken
olive oil
salt
pepper

Preheat oven to 400.  Place broccoli florets on baking pan, drizzle with olive oil, minced garlic cloves, and S&P.  Roast for 30 minutes in the oven or until tender.  While broccoli is cooking, heat olive oil in a skillet, season chicken on both sides and cook through (about 5 minutes per side).  Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain the pasta together, reserving 1/2 cup of the water.  When the chicken is cool enough to handle, slice thinly.  In the pasta pot over very low heat whisk together the ricotta, pasta water, milk, cream, & butter, whisking constantly.  Add the garlic powder and about 1/2 tsp of black pepper.  Add the lemon zest and juice and heat until just heated through.  Remove from heat and whisk in the parmesan cheese until melted.  Fold in the chicken, broccoli, and pasta.  Serve hot!