Lemon Chicken Pasta is perfectly creamy, flavorful, and filling. It’s fitting for a special occasion, but easy enough for a weeknight.
For more excellent Dinner Recipes, try my Chicken Alfredo, Chicken Parmesan Pasta, or Pesto Pasta.
Sabrina’s Lemon Chicken Pasta Recipe
Easy, creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta is the perfect weeknight dinner. The whole family is sure to love this rich sauce served with tender chicken and buttery, filling pasta. It’s quick and simple to make but still tastes decadent. You’ll get a whole meal out of this recipe, and you can make the whole thing in under 30 minutes! And to make the perfect spaghetti, be sure to read my chef’s note below.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 2 chicken breasts , boneless and skinless
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 garlic cloves , minced
- 1/2 red onion , minced
- 1 lemon , juiced and zested
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup shaved parmesan cheese plus more for serving
- 1/4 cup parsley , minced
Instructions
- In a large pot of salted water, boil the pasta one minute shy of the package instructions.
- Drain and set aside, reserving ½ cup pasta water. Do not rinse.
- Pound the chicken to an even thickness with a chicken mallet.
- In a large bowl add the chicken, salt, paprika, black pepper and red pepper flakes, tossing well to coat.
- In a large heavy skillet on medium high heat add the butter.
- Add the chicken in and cook for 5 minutes on each side.
- Remove the chicken to a plate.
- Add in the garlic and red onions.
- Stir well and cook for 3-4 minutes until red onions are translucent.
- Add in the lemon juice and lemon zest.
- Slice the chicken into strips while the onions are cooking, reserve any juice released by the chicken.
- Add in wine, cook for 3-4 minutes until liquid has evaporated.
- Add in heavy cream and parmesan cheese, and stir to combine. If you want a silkier sauce, add spoonfuls of the pasta water as it cooks.
- Add in the pasta, tossing to coat.
- Add in the chicken and parsley, stir to coat.
- Serve with additional shaved parmesan cheese.
Nutrition
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Chef’s Note
Nothing ruins a pasta dinner like clumpy, mushy, or overly chewy pasta. To avoid this and cook perfect spaghetti, keep this in mind:
- First, use a large pot so that there is plenty of space for the pasta to spread out instead of sticking together.
- Add salt to the water to add flavor and reduce stickiness.
- Let the water come to a full boil before you add the spaghetti.
- Stir the pasta thoroughly a few times throughout the cooking process to keep noodles from sticking together.
- Cook the pasta a minute shy of the box instructions in order to avoid overcooking.
Can this be made ahead of time?
If you want to prep this recipe in advance, you can cook the chicken and creamy sauce ahead. Then, keep them in airtight containers in the fridge for a few days. On the day you plan to serve, cook fresh pasta and reheat the sauce on the stovetop. Add additional cream and pasta cooking water as needed to revitalize the pasta sauce. Then, add the pasta and chicken. I find that cooking the pasta fresh results in a better texture and flavor than when you make everything in advance.
How to Store
- Store: Leftover Lemon Chicken Pasta can stay good in the fridge for 3-4 days. Wait for the recipe to cool, then transfer the dish to an airtight container to keep it fresh in storage.
- Reheat: When you’re ready to serve the leftovers, add the chicken and pasta to a pot over medium heat with an extra splash of water or broth. If you saved additional pasta water, you can add it to the mix. Stir over heat until the dish is warmed through to serve.
- Freeze: If you let the recipe completely cool, and seal it carefully in a freezer bag or another freezer-safe container, you can keep it frozen for up to 3 months. Completely thaw the recipe in the fridge overnight before reheating it.
Variations
- Lemon seafood pasta: If you prefer, you can swap out the chicken in this recipe for shrimp, salmon, or scallops and make a delightful, creamy seafood pasta recipe.
- Wine-free sauce: If you want to make the recipe without any cooking wine, you can use chicken broth, chicken stock, vegetable stock, apple cider vinegar, or white wine vinegar.
- Seasonings: For additional flavoring ingredients, season the creamy pasta with onion powder, basil, paprika, or Italian seasoning.
- Vegetables: Mushrooms, onion slices, and green vegetables like broccoli, spinach, or green beans would taste delicious with the lemon chicken pasta recipe.
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Sooo…what’s the reserved pasta water for??