Lemon Chicken Pasta

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!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword creamy lemon chicken pasta, Italian lemon chicken pasta, lemon chicken alfredo pasta, lemon chicken penne pasta

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings to 4 Servings

Calories 794kcal

Author Maria Doss

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 to 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite size pieces
½ cup chopped onion
2 to 4 garlic cloves finely chopped
½ to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Group-1

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

Group-2

8 ounces penne pasta cooked
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
1 to 2 tablepoons unsalted butter optional
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 to 2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Toss chicken with some salt and pepper and then add in a single layer, cook until it develops a golden color.
Pro tip: Sear chicken on one side, on relatively high heat to develop a deep golden color. It's a great way to add flavor. It adds complexity and savoriness to the dish.
Reduce heat to medium, add chopped onion, garlic and red pepper flakes, Cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about about 2 minutes.
Add all group-1 ingredients (along with remaining salt and pepper), mix well, increase heat, continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until sauce comes to a gentle boil and has thickened slightly to coat the back of a spoon (3 to 5 minutes).
Stir in all group-2 ingredients, stir well and immediately remove pan from heat. Serve pasta after 5 to 10 minutes (the sauce will continue to thicken as it cools).
Pro tip: The acidic flavor of lemon juice dulls in flavor, and is mostly lost when exposed to heat. So it's best to add it right at the end.

Video

Notes

Chicken - Use boneless skinless breasts, thighs or tenderloins.

Don't overcrowd the pan - Be sure to cook your meat 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.

Use fresh Lemons - This is a prominent flavor, so use fresh lemon if possible. Lime may be substituted instead.

Nutrition