This Lemon Chicken Pasta recipe is creamy, garlicky, zesty, super flavorful and is ready in under 30 minutes. It is made without wine for a family friendly meal. So so good!
My top tips -The fresh lemon flavor truly shines in this dish, so it’s best to avoid bottled lemon juice. Add the lemon juice at the end and refrain from cooking it further, as this helps preserve its bright and zesty taste. Continue for more!
👉 This lemon chicken pasta recipe has been a reader favorite since I first shared the recipe in 2022. It was updated with more details and step-by-step instructions in March 2025.
A simple, restaurant worthy lemon chicken pasta. It's an amazing combination of savory, tangy and creamy, lemon sauce, along with the juicy seasoned chicken and al dente pasta. It's a quick creamy pasta recipe dinner that everyone will devour!
What is lemon chicken pasta? Also known as pasta al limone is a simple Italian pasta dish that features a creamy, tangy lemony sauce made primarily from fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, butter, and parmesan cheese. The sauce is light and refreshing, with a burst of lemon flavor that cuts through the creaminess in the sauce.
Although I’ve used penne pasta for this recipe, pasta al limone is traditionally made with spaghetti or any pasta shape you prefer. This refreshing pasta dish is a staple in Italian cuisine, particularly in the summer when fresh lemons are in season.
It's perfect for the whole family, because there's no wine in the recipe, like the garlic butter shrimp pasta. The freshly squeezed lemon juice at the end adds tons of complex flavors.
This creamy lemon chicken pasta is rich, flavorful, and perfectly coated in a luscious sauce that clings to every penne. Try this recipe next time you want to impress your family at the dinner table!
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Reasons to love it
- Lemon adds a tangy brightness that cuts through the richness of the creamy sauce.
- The golden, caramelized bits from the chicken add depth, savoriness, and incredible flavor to the sauce.
- Without wine, it becomes a kid-friendly meal.
Table of contents
Ingredients you’ll need
Scroll down to the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and amounts.
- Chicken – I cut 2 chicken breasts into bite-sized chunks, but you can also use thighs if preferred.
- Stock – I used 33% reduced sodium stock. If you are using no sodium or regular sodium stock, then adjust salt accordingly.
- Pasta – I like to use penne like in instant pot ground chicken pasta or penne pasta recipes, however this lemon chicken pasta is delicious made with any other pasta shape like linguini, fettuccini, bow tie, spaghetti, fusilli or ziti.
- Heavy cream - Adds richness and body. Use half and half to make it lighter.
- Lemon - Both lemon juice and finely grated zest is used for a lemony punch. Use only freshly squeezed lemon juice and not the bottled kind. It makes a huge difference.
- Garlic - There's always garlic in any chicken pasta recipe.
- Cheese - As I mention in parmesan cheese recipes, freshly shredded parmesan melts better and gives a silky smooth consistence to the lemon garlic sauce. The powdered stuff or pre-shredded parmesan cheese doesn’t have the same great flavor and texture as freshly shredded parmesan.
👉 Use chicken cutlets - For a prettier presentation, you can butterfly the chicken breasts to create cutlets, sear them, then slice before adding them back to the pan with the stock and heavy cream.
Find more ideas to cook with chicken breasts for dinner in chicken breast recipes.
Variations
- Broccoli - Blanched for couple of minutes along with pasta or sautéed in olive oil before proceeding with the recipe.
- Peas - Add frozen peas along with stock and cream.
- Spinach - Add baby spinach leaves when sauce is almost done simmering, and stir to wilt.
- Zucchini - Saute diced zucchini in olive oil, until partially cooked. Transfer to another bowl and continue with the recipe. Toss it back into the simmering alfredo sauce.
- Add asparagus – Cut trimmed asparagus into 1-inch pieces and saute along with onion and garlic in the recipe.
- Make is meat free – Skip chicken (but we recommend using chicken stock).
- Use leftover rotisserie chicken instead.
- Use shrimp instead.
How to make lemon chicken pasta?
You can find full printable recipe below, but here is a quick overview of the procedure along with step-by-step photos.
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👩🍳 Lemon juice adds tartness and brightness to a dish, while the yellow zest holds floral, citrusy oils. Be sure to avoid the bitter white pith underneath when zesting the lemon.
Storage and Reheating
This lemon pasta with chicken will keep well for 2-3 days in your fridge. When it comes to re heating anything with cream sauce, I recommend adding a splash of water or stock, before heating in microwave. Stir halfway through microwave time.
I don’t recommend freezing creamy sauces as they change textures to grainy when frozen. Also, the pasta can become mushy when it’s frozen and reheated with a creamy sauce.
Recipe tips
- Chicken - Use boneless skinless breasts, thighs or tenderloins.
- Don't overcrowd the pan - Be sure to cook your chicken in a single layer so it gets a golden brown crust. If you overcrowd the pan, it might steam instead. It’s best to work in batches if your pan is not large enough to fit everything at once.
- Pasta - Use your favorite noodle shape instead of penne.
- Protein - If you prefer not to use chicken, you can use any other protein. Shrimp would be another great option.
- Use fresh lemons - This is a prominent flavor, so use fresh lemon if possible. Lime may be substituted instead.
- Cream - Replace heavy cream with half & half to make it lighter, but not milk. It just makes it watery.
- Pat dry - Make sure to pat dry your chicken with paper towels, to ensure a good sear.
Recipe FAQs
Al dente means “to the tooth” in Italian, is where pasta tastes and feels chewy but firm, holding its whole shape in whatever sauce you put it in.
A fresh squeeze of lemon brightens and enhances the flavor in any pasta dish. It's especially fabulous in creamy sauces, because it cuts through the richness and adds a zing.
More chicken pasta recipes
Lemon Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 ounces penne pasta cooked
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 to 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite size pieces
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 3 garlic cloves finely chopped
- ½ to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 cup chicken stock I used 33% reduced sodium
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ to 1 teaspoon salt divided
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper divided
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter optional
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 to 2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente and drain. I like to prepare the rest of the dish while the pasta cooks, so everything comes together in under 30 minutes.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Toss chicken with some salt and pepper and then add in a single layer, cook until it develops a golden color on one side, about 3 minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium, add chopped onion, garlic and red pepper flakes, Cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about about 2 minutes.
- Stir in the stock, heavy cream, Italian seasoning, and remaining salt and pepper.
- Increase the heat slightly and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the sauce gently boils and thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 3 to 5 minutes).
- Stir in parmesan, butter, lemon juice and zest and immediately remove pan from heat. Check for seasoning and add adjust if necessary.
- Serve the pasta after 5 to 10 minutes, as the sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information, based on third-party calculations, should be seen as estimates, not guarantees, as various factors like product types, brands, processing methods, and more can alter the nutritional content in recipes.
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