This flavor-packed Lemon Chicken Pasta Recipe combines lightly breaded lemon pepper chicken breasts pan-fried in a bit of olive oil and served with spaghetti noodles in a creamy lemon sauce with Parmesan Cheese, sweet peas, and chopped fresh parsley.
Lemon Chicken Pasta Recipe
This creamy lemon chicken pasta recipe is the perfect blend of tangy and savory flavors. With tender chicken and al dente pasta, it’s a dish that will have your taste buds singing. Make it for a cozy dinner at home, or impress your guests at a dinner party! This pasta is easy enough for a weeknight meal yet elegant enough for company. If you like this recipe, try chicken mushroom pasta, chicken parmesan casserole, chicken alfredo bake, and chicken fettuccine alfredo.
Lemon Chicken Pasta Ingredients
For this recipe, you need boneless skinless chicken breasts, flour, Parmesan cheese, lemon pepper, olive oil, spaghetti pasta, garlic, heavy cream, low-sodium chicken broth, frozen peas, lemon, butter, Italian parsley, salt, and black pepper.
How to make Lemon Chicken Pasta
Mix the flour, 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, and lemon pepper in a shallow bowl. Then, dredge the chicken breasts in the flour. Heat a little olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken until it is golden brown on both sides and cooked through. Plate the chicken and cover it with a loose aluminum foil tent to keep it warm and let it rest.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil and cook the pasta according to the package directions. Do not overcook and drain well.
Wipe the skillet fairly clean and heat a little more olive oil over medium-low heat. Then add the minced garlic and cook for a minute while stirring constantly. Add the heavy cream and bring it to a simmer. Now add the chicken broth a little at a time while the cream reduces. Add the peas, lemon zest, and lemon juice and continue simmering until the mixture is reduced by about 1/3. Reduce the heat as low as it will go and stir in the remaining Parmesan Cheese in small increments, stirring until it is melted.
Then add the cooked pasta to the sauce, tossing to coat. Stir in the butter until melted and incorporated. Now stir in the fresh parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. Slice the chicken into bite-sized pieces and add it to the pasta. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley or chopped fresh basil. For best results, serve promptly.
Recipe Tips
- For even and thorough cooking use thin cut breasts or cut them in half lengthwise.
- Reducing cream takes a little knowledge and patience. Simmer the cream with small, fine bubbles on the edges of the skillet and stir it frequently. You do not want to boil it hard. Low and slow is the key. Add the chicken broth and lemon juice in small increments, letting the cream reduce while you work on other steps in the recipe.
- Use fresh grated Parmesan cheese. It is so flavorful and worth every penny.
- Add the frozen peas to the sauce. They will take mere minutes to cook as the peas are blanched before freezing.
- You can substitute fettucine, rigatoni, rotini, penne, mostaccioli, elbows, cavatappi, or angel hair pasta for the spaghetti.
- Add a little chicken broth, cream, or milk if the sauce or pasta becomes too thick. Do so in small increments so you do not add too much.
- Do not slice the chicken until the dish is ready; it will dry out.
What to serve with Lemon Chicken Pasta
- A simple garden salad with a light vinaigrette
- Oven-roasted asparagus
- Olive Garden copycat salad
- Baguettes with soft butter
- Sauteed mushrooms and onions
- Fresh berries
- Raspberry or strawberry sorbet
- Italian salad
- Sauteed spinach
- Roasted cauliflower
Storage and Reheat
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat at 50% power in the microwave, stirring several times.
Freeze in an airtight container or heavy-duty freezer bag for up to 2 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat in the microwave at reduced power.
More Pasta Recipes
Instant Pot Spaghetti
Lemon Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts cut in half lengthwise
- 1/4 cup flour
- 3/4 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
- 2 teaspoons lemon pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 12 ounces spaghetti pasta
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 ¼ cups heavy cream
- ½ cup low sodium chicken broth
- ⅔ cup frozen peas
- 1 lemon zested and juiced
- 2 tablespoons butter cut in small cubes
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped Italian parsley
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine the flour, 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, and lemon pepper in a shallow bowl. Dredge the chicken breasts in the flour. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the chicken until it is golden brown on both sides and cooked through; 3-4 minutes each side. Plate the chicken and cover it with a loose aluminum foil tent.
- Meanwhile bring a large pot of water to boil and cook the pasta according to the package directions. Do not overcook and drain well.
- Wipe the skillet fairly clean and heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium low heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute while stirring constantly. Add the heavy cream and bring it to a simmer. Add the chicken broth a little at a time while the cream reduces.
- Add the peas, lemon zest, and lemon juice and continue simmering until the mixture is reduced by about 1/3. Reduce the heat as low as it will go and stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese in small increments stirring until it is melted.
- Add the cooked pasta to the sauce; tossing to coat. Add the butter stirring until melted and incorporated. Stir in the fresh parsley and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Slice the chicken and add it to the pasta. For best results serve promptly.
Notes
- For even and thorough cooking use thin cut breasts or cut them in half lengthwise.
- Reducing cream takes a little knowledge and patience. Simmer the cream with small fine bubbles on the edges of the skillet and stir it frequently. You do not want to boil it hard. Low and slow is the key. Add the chicken broth and lemon juice in small increments letting the cream reduce while you are working on other steps in the recipe.
- Use fresh grated Parmesan cheese. It is so flavorful and it is worth every penny.
- Add the peas to the sauce frozen. They will take mere minutes to cook as frozen peas are blanched before freezing.
- You can substitute fettucine, rigatoni, rotini, penne, mostaccioli, elbows, cavatappi, or angel hair pasta for the spaghetti.
- If the sauce or pasta becomes too thick add a little chicken broth, cream, or milk. Do so in small increments so you do not add too much.
- Do not slice the chicken until the dish is ready as it will dry out.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat at 50% power in the microwave stirring several times.
- Freeze in an airtight container or heavy duty freezer bag for up to 2 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in the microwave at a reduced power.
Nutrition
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Sienna
This looks divine! My mother is a huge fan of lemon chicken so I’m going to have to make this for her. Ooo and a side of cheesy garlic bread sounds amazing! I think I know what I’m making next week!
Marysa
I was just thinking about making a lemon pasta, but wasn’t sure what would go well with it. Sounds like a yummy pasta dish.
Claudia
I love this chicken lemon pasta. Simple add-ons like broccoli, asparagus, or frozen vegetables is great too.
briannemanzb
Your recipe is so delicious! The kids actually asked for this recipe on repeat!
Faith Stephenson
One of my favorite pasta dishes 😋 This recipe is so perfect. Will definitely make this recipe again.
Mila R
OMG, let me try this Lemon Chicken Pasta right away! Looks so tempting!
Steph S
YUM! Thanks so much for the recipe, It was delicious. My whole family enjoyed it.
Cindy
My niece and I really enjoyed this recipe. It was so easy and delicious.
Bryan
It looks tasty to me! The rest of my family doesn’t like peas so I may have to omit that ingredient or find a substitute. But other than that, it looks like a winning recipe.
Beth Pierce
Thanks Bryan! Enjoy!!
Rosie Randolph
Made this tonight for dinner. The lemony taste is delicious! My husband even had seconds!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Rosie! So glad that you and your husband enjoyed it!
Catalina
This dish is so inviting! It has everything I love!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Catalina!!
Erik
Really love the flavors in this. And II had a bunch of lemons sitting around, so perfect!
Beti | easyweeknightrecipes
This looks and sounds amazing! The perfect weeknight meal! YUM!
katerina @ diethood.com
This sounds like the perfect dinner! SO many amazing flavors!
Amanda
This is such a simple and delicious recipe. My picky eater loved it!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Amanda! Glad that your picky eater liked it!!
Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert
This Lemon Chicken Pasta was absolutely delicious! Yummy! I will make it again!