The beauty of this lemon chicken pasta lies in its simplicity. For an epic weeknight-friendly meal, you only need chicken, pasta, lemons, herbs, heavy cream, and a chunk of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. The sauce has a rich, creamy, lemony brightness that elevates the chicken and pasta to a state of luxury.
This post is an updated version of a post previously published in September 2022. New photos, updated ingredients, and better recipe instructions now accompany the post
If you love our lemon chicken pasta, you will also love this easy Parmesan-Crusted Chicken With Mayo, Buttermilk Chicken Thighs or Stuffed Chicken With Tomatoes & Feta!
Overview
Why this recipe sings
Here is what you need
- Chicken— You can use any cut you want. In this post, we are showing skinless chicken breasts.
- Garlic— Sliced garlic cloves season the sauce, garlic powder gives tremendous flavor to the chicken.
- Lemons— For their juice and zest. They add a bright Mediterranean vibe to this pasta.
- Heavy cream and grated cheese— They develop a silky, flavorful sauce. The grated cheese can be kefalotiri, parmigiano regiano or pecorino romano.
- Pasta— Choose your favorite. Here, we are using spaghetti.
- Extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, dried oregano and freshly ground pepper.
Detailed measurements and instructions can be found on the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
How to make lemon chicken pasta
- In a bowl, mix well with a wire whisk half the olive oil, the garlic, lemon zest, and all the herbs, the mustard, sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
- Rub the chicken with the marinade and let it sit while setting a big pot of water to boil. If you can afford ten minutes, leave the marinade longer.
- Heat a skillet over high heat. Add the rest of the olive oil
- Add the chicken, lower the heat to medium, and cook about 6 minutes per side. When the chicken is cooked through, transfer it to a plate and cover with aluminum foil.
- While the chicken cooks, add plenty of sea salt to the boiling water and cook the pasta a minute before al dente. Drain the pasta and reserve one cup of pasta water.
- In the same skillet you cooked the chicken, add the heavy cream and deglaze the pan with a wooden spoon. Cook the sauce on high for two to three minutes until it thickens.
- Transfer the pasta to the sauce. Add the lemon zest and juice, the grated cheese, and toss.
- Serve the pasta and the chicken with lemon, rosemary, and pepper.
Suggestions & Substitutions
- For a more child-friendly meal, cut the chicken into bite-size pieces and use shortcut pasta like penne or rigatoni. Add roasted veggies like asparagus and zucchini.
- To prevent the pasta from sticking together after cooking and draining, sprinkle some olive oil on top and toss.
- Use half a cup of dry white wine to deglaze the pan for a delicious twist.
- I don’t recommend using fat-free cream. It won’t be as creamy, and the flavor won’t be the same. It’s better to use pasta water and parmesan to thicken the sauce than fat-free products. If you can add some butter, check out this authentic pasta Alfredo, which is made without cream.
Side dishes for lemon chicken pasta
- Add a leafy salad, or boiled wild greens with ladolemono.
- Pair it with a generous piece of homemade crusty bread and a dipping olive oil.
- Marinated olives with feta will also be a great addition to this meal.
Storage and reheating
- The chicken pasta will last 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator. Store in an airtight container to prevent it from drying out. Reheat in a saucepan over medium-low heat, adding broth or cream to loosen the sauce.
- Any leftovers can be frozen in an airtight container and used within three months. Thaw the pasta in the refrigerator and warm it on the stovetop as directed above. Be advised that the sauce might have a different texture. Cream sauces tend not to hold up very well after freezing.
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Lemon Chicken Pasta
The beauty of this lemon chicken pasta lies in its simplicity. All you need are chicken, pasta, lemons, heavy cream, and Parmesan cheese for a weeknight-friendly meal.
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts skinless
- 12 oz spaghetti
For the marinade
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- chili flakes
For the sauce
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves thinly sliced
- 1⅓ cup heavy cream
- 1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano grated
- juice from one lemon
You also need
- grated Parmigiano Reggiano for serving
- fresh herb leaves like basil, thyme oregano for serving, optional
- lemon wedges for serving
- sea salt
- freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix well with a wire whisk half the olive oil, the garlic, lemon zest, and all the herbs, the mustard, sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
- Rub the chicken with the marinade and let it sit while you prepare for the rest of the recipe. If you can afford ten minutes, leave the marinade longer.
- Set a big pot of water on high heat to boil.
- Heat a skillet over high heat. Add the rest of the olive oil.
- Add the chicken, lower the heat to medium, and cook about 6 minutes per side. When the chicken is cooked through, transfer it to a plate and cover with aluminum foil.
- While the chicken cooks, add plenty of sea salt to the boiling water and cook the pasta a minute before al dente. Drain the pasta and reserve one cup of pasta water.
- In the same skillet you cooked the chicken, add a tablespoon of olive oil and the sliced garlic. Cook for one minute, add the heavy cream and deglaze the pan with a wooden spoon. Cook the sauce on high for two to three minutes until it thickens.
- Transfer the pasta to the sauce. Add the lemon zest and juice, the grated cheese, and toss.
- Serve the lemon chicken pasta with some chili flakes, more parmesan cheese and fresh herb leaves on top for garnish.
Notes
- For a more child-friendly meal, cut the chicken into bite-size pieces and use shortcut pasta like penne or rigatoni. Add roasted veggies like asparagus and zucchini.
- To prevent the pasta from sticking together after cooking and draining, sprinkle some olive oil on top and toss.
- Use half a cup of dry white wine to deglaze the pan for a delicious twist.
- I don’t recommend using fat-free cream. It won’t be as creamy, and the flavor won’t be the same. It’s better to use pasta water and parmesan to thicken the sauce than fat-free products. If you can add some butter, check out this authentic pasta Alfredo, which is made without cream.
- Storage and reheating
- The chicken pasta will last 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator. Store in an airtight container to prevent it from drying out. Reheat in a saucepan over medium-low heat, adding broth or cream to loosen the sauce.
- Any leftovers can be frozen in an airtight container and used within three months. Thaw the pasta in the refrigerator and warm it on the stovetop as directed above. Be advised that the sauce might have a different texture. Cream sauces tend not to hold up very well after freezing.
Nutrition
Calories: 897kcalCarbohydrates: 73gProtein: 47gFat: 46gSaturated Fat: 24gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 179mgSodium: 559mgPotassium: 733mgFiber: 3gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 1405IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 386mgIron: 2mg
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