Description
A creamy and zesty Lemon Chicken Pasta featuring tender pan-cooked chicken breasts tossed with pasta in a luscious lemon-parmesan cream sauce, finished fresh with parsley and lemon wedges. This comforting dish perfectly balances savory, tangy, and aromatic flavors for a satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Seasoning
- 350 g pasta of choice
- 1 tsp sea salt flakes
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
Chicken
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp water
Sauce
- 40 g unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 4 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan
To Serve
- Lemon wedges
- Fresh parsley
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Boil the pasta in salted water until it is 1 to 2 minutes shy of al dente. Drain the pasta and set aside to be added later.
- Season Chicken: Combine sea salt flakes, black pepper, sweet paprika, and Italian seasoning. Use this blend to season both sides of the boneless, skinless chicken breasts thoroughly.
- Cook Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Cook the chicken breasts for 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until fully cooked through and no longer pink inside. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Prepare Sauce Base: Add water to the pan to deglaze and loosen any brown bits. Melt the unsalted butter in the pan, then stir in minced garlic and cook briefly until fragrant.
- Make Roux and Thicken: Stir in the flour to form a paste and cook briefly. Gradually whisk in chicken stock and heavy cream, allowing the sauce to simmer gently until it thickens into a creamy consistency.
- Slice Chicken: Cut the cooked chicken breasts into strips ready for serving.
- Finish Sauce and Combine: Remove the pan from heat, then whisk in fresh lemon juice and freshly grated parmesan cheese. Add the drained pasta and toss well to coat the pasta evenly with the creamy lemon sauce.
- Serve: Plate the pasta coated in lemon-parmesan sauce, top with sliced chicken strips, sprinkle fresh parsley, and serve with lemon wedges for extra zest.
Notes
- For best results, taste and adjust seasoning of the sauce before adding pasta.
- You can substitute heavy cream with half-and-half for a lighter sauce, but it may be less rich.
- Use freshly grated parmesan rather than pre-grated for optimal flavor and better melting.
- Reserve some pasta cooking water to add to the sauce if it becomes too thick.
- Serve immediately to enjoy the cream sauce at its best texture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Keywords: Lemon Chicken Pasta, Creamy Pasta, Chicken Pasta Recipe, Lemon Parmesan Sauce, Easy Dinner, Weeknight Meal
