The beauty of this lemon chicken pasta lies in its simplicity. All you need are chicken thighs, pasta, lemons, herbs, extra virgin olive oil, and a hunk of Parmesan cheese for a weeknight-friendly meal. The sauce has a rich, creamy, lemony brightness which elevates the chicken and pasta to a state of luxury.
If you love this lemon chicken pasta, you will also love this easy parmesan-crusted chicken with mayo, buttermilk chicken thighs or stuffed chicken with tomatoes & feta!
Why this recipe sings
Lemon zest, lemon juice, and Parmesan combine for a silky and vibrant sauce that makes this weeknight-friendly pasta sing. Our simple but indulgent dish is garnished with chopped spearmint leaves for freshness and a bright note.
Here is what you need
- Chicken thighs. Skinless and boneless. You can also use chicken breasts.
- Garlic. Because everything is better with a bit of garlic. 🙂
- Lemons. For their juice and zest. They add a bright Mediterranean vibe to this pasta.
- Butter and Parmesan cheese. The cheese emulsifiers with the butter and pasta water to create a silky flavorful sauce.
- Spaghetti. Or the pasta of your choice.
- Extra virgin olive oil, sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
Detailed measurements and instructions can be found on the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Let’s make it
Season the chicken with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Heat a skillet over high heat. Add the olive oil and the chicken thighs and saute on all sides. Lower the heat and simmer until the chicken is cooked through—transfer the chicken to a plate (Image 1).
Cook the pasta al dente and reserve some pasta water for later.
Add butter and garlic to the same skillet. Scrape the bottom to release the delicious fond from cooking the chicken. Sauté the sliced garlic until fragrant (Image 2).
Add the pasta and stir (Image 3).
Add the lemon juice, zest, and grated parmesan, and stir. Use a bit of the reserved pasta water to loosen up the sauce if you need to (Image 4+5).
Return the chicken with its juices to the pasta (Image 6).
Finish the dish by drizzling some lemon juice and sprinkling some zest and fresh spearmint leaves on top.
Adjust sea salt and pepper to taste, and serve. Pass more lemon wedges around the table.
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Lemon Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs skinless and boneless
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 lemon juiced and zested
- 1 cup parmesan cheese grated
- 8 oz spaghetti half of a packet
- sea salt
- freshly ground pepper
For serving
- fresh spearmint leaves
- lemon wedges
Instructions
- Season the chicken with sea salt and freshly ground pepper on all sides.
- Heat a skillet over high heat. Add the olive oil and the chicken thighs and saute on all sides. Lower the heat and simmer until the chicken is cooked through—transfer the chicken to a plate.
- Cook the pasta al dente according to the package directions. Reserve some pasta water for later.
- Add butter and garlic over medium heat in the same skillet. Sauté the sliced garlic until fragrant.
- Add the pasta and stir. Add the lemon juice, zest, and grated parmesan, and stir. Use some reserved pasta water to loosen up the sauce if you need to.
- Return the chicken with its juices to the pasta. Adjust salt and pepper if needed.Finish the dish by drizzling some lemon juice and sprinkling some zest and fresh spearmint leaves on top.
Notes
Nutrition
