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Close-up of fettuccine coated in creamy sauce, topped with sliced, seasoned chicken and grated Parmesan for Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta.

Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta

A bright and flavorful pasta dish featuring tender chicken in a rich, creamy lemon sauce. This recipe is perfect for a quick and satisfying weeknight meal.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Pasta Cooking 10 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 612
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition 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 long and twirly, such as bucatini, spaghetti, pappardelle, or fettuccine
  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 1 1/2 cups yellow onion finely chopped
  • 6 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 3/4 cup chicken broth
  • 3/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/3 cup fresh parsley finely chopped, 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
  • 1 handful fresh baby spinach or arugula
  • 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes
  • 1 cup roasted broccoli
  • 1/2 cup sautéed mushrooms

Equipment

  • Large pot
  • Large high-sided skillet or sauté pan
  • Bowl
  • Plate
  • Tongs

Method
 

  1. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil.
  2. Meanwhile, prepare chicken. Place chicken in a bowl and combine with olive oil, lemon zest, and spices. Toss well to thoroughly 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 (the pasta will finish cooking in the sauce). Before draining, reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water.
  5. Prepare sauce. Add butter to the pan (no need to wipe clean) 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.

Nutrition

Calories: 612kcalCarbohydrates: 58gProtein: 31gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 12gSodium: 920mgFiber: 3gSugar: 6g

Notes

If you plan on adding any veggies, add them to the sauce right after stirring in the parsley, Parmesan, and lemon. To Store: Place leftovers in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To Reheat: Gently rewarm pasta in a large skillet on the stove over medium heat, adding a splash of broth as needed to rehydrate the noodles and thin the sauce. Toss the noodles often and brighten them up with a squeeze of fresh lemon.

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