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Close-up of Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta with fettuccine, grilled chicken strips, and parmesan cheese.

Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta

This recipe makes a bright and satisfying pasta dish featuring tender chicken in a creamy lemon sauce. It is simple to prepare for a weeknight family meal.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Lemon-Herb Chicken
  • 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced into cutlets
  • 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tsp. lemon zest
  • 2 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. onion powder
  • 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
  • 3/4 tsp. black pepper
Creamy Lemon Pasta
  • 1 lb. pasta of choice (bucatini, spaghetti, pappardelle, or fettuccine)
  • 1 Tbsp. butter
  • 1 1/2 cups finely chopped yellow onion
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 3/4 cup chicken broth
  • 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp. black pepper
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh parsley (plus more for garnish)
  • 1/3 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (plus more for garnish)
  • 1 Tbsp. lemon zest
  • 3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Optional add-ins
  • Fresh baby spinach or arugula, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted broccoli, sautéed mushrooms

Equipment

  • Large sauté pan
  • Stockpot or Dutch oven

Method
 

  1. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil.
  2. Prepare chicken. Place chicken in a bowl and combine with olive oil, lemon zest, and spices. Toss well to coat both sides of chicken in seasoning.
  3. Heat a large high-sided skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Arrange chicken in pan and cook until nicely golden and internal temperature reaches 165ºF, about 7 to 10 minutes, depending on thickness. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm.
  4. If your water is boiling at this point, begin cooking pasta until just shy of al dente. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water.
  5. Prepare sauce. Add butter to the pan along with chopped yellow onion. Cook over medium heat until the onion softens, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 to 2 minutes, until aromatic.
  6. Add heavy cream, broth, salt, and black pepper. Bring mixture to a simmer. Simmer, uncovered, until the mixture slightly thickens, about 5 to 6 minutes.
  7. Stir in parsley, Parmesan cheese, lemon zest and juice.
  8. Add pasta to the pan with sauce, along with 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water. Increase the heat to medium-high, and toss vigorously with a pair of tongs. Continue cooking and tossing constantly, until the pasta is glossed in a thick sauce, about 2 minutes.
  9. If the sauce becomes too tight, add another splash of the reserved pasta water and toss again. When the sauce is nicely thickened and glossy, turn off heat.
  10. Thinly slice chicken and place on top of the pasta. Garnish with extra chopped fresh parsley, grated Parmesan, cracked black pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Notes

You can add spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted broccoli, or sautéed mushrooms as optional additions to this dish.

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