Description
This quick and easy Lemon Chicken Pasta recipe combines tender, juicy chicken breasts with perfectly cooked pasta and a bright, tangy lemon sauce. Ready in under 30 minutes, it offers a balanced meal with fresh, zesty flavors and comforting richness, perfect for busy weeknights or a delightful family dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Pasta
- 8 oz pasta (spaghetti, linguine, or penne)
Sauce & Flavor
- 1 lemon, zest and juice
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook your pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve about 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining to help loosen the sauce later.
- Cook the chicken: While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, then cook them until golden and cooked through, about 5-6 minutes per side. Remove from heat and slice thinly.
- Make the lemon sauce: In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium and add minced garlic. Sauté briefly until fragrant but not browned. Stir in lemon zest and lemon juice, adding some of the reserved pasta water to create a silky sauce base.
- Combine pasta and chicken: Add the drained pasta and sliced chicken back into the skillet. Toss everything gently to coat with the lemon sauce evenly. Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley, stirring just enough to combine.
- Final seasoning and serve: Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Plate the Lemon Chicken Pasta with an extra sprinkle of Parmesan and parsley for a picture-perfect finish.
Notes
- Use fresh lemons: Freshly squeezed juice and zest make all the difference in the brightness of the sauce.
- Save pasta water: Adding a splash of starchy pasta water helps emulsify and thicken the lemon sauce.
- Cook chicken evenly: Pound the chicken breasts slightly for uniform thickness and faster, even cooking.
- Don’t overcook pasta: Al dente pasta gives a better texture and absorbs the flavors better than mushy noodles.
- Rest chicken before slicing: Letting it rest retains juices for the most tender final bite.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg