Description
Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta is a delightful, family-friendly dish featuring tender chicken breasts cooked to perfection and tossed with pasta in a luscious, garlicky lemon cream sauce. This easy-to-make recipe combines the rich flavors of heavy cream and parmesan with bright lemon juice and zest, making it a perfect weeknight dinner that can be ready in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 12 ounces dried pasta (any shape)
Chicken & Seasonings
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound chicken breasts
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Sauce & Garnish
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup parmesan (grated)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: In a saucepan, bring salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside, reserving some pasta water.
- Cook the chicken: Heat olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper, then add them to the pan. Cook for 4-5 minutes per side or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Remove chicken and move to the sides of the pan.
- Make the sauce: Melt butter in the center of the pan and add minced garlic. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Pour in heavy cream and lemon juice, whisking or stirring to create a smooth sauce. Stir in grated parmesan until melted and combined.
- Adjust sauce consistency: If the sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water a little at a time to loosen it up, whisking to incorporate.
- Combine pasta and chicken: Add the cooked pasta to the pan with the sauce and chicken. Toss everything together to coat evenly. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Garnish and serve: Sprinkle with extra parmesan, chopped fresh parsley, and optional lemon zest before serving for a fresh and vibrant finish.
Notes
- This is a quick and easy one-pot creamy lemon chicken pasta perfect for weeknight dinners.
- Use any pasta shape you prefer; spaghetti, penne, or fusilli work well.
- For a lighter version, substitute heavy cream with half-and-half or a lower-fat alternative.
- Reserve some pasta cooking water to adjust the sauce consistency as needed.
- Ensure chicken is cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) for safety.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 443 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 377 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 44 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 83 mg
