Description
This Lemon Chicken Pasta recipe combines tender, golden-brown chicken breasts with a bright, zesty lemon sauce over perfectly cooked pasta. Finished with garlic, white wine, Parmesan, and fresh herbs, it’s a flavorful and easy-to-make dish ideal for a satisfying weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Pasta
- 8 ounces pasta any shape
Chicken and Seasoning
- 4 thin-sliced boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- fresh-ground black pepper to taste
- zest of 1 large lemon
Cooking Fats and Aromatics
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil divided
- 2 Tablespoons butter divided
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Sauce
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 3/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Finishing
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
- lemon wedges for serving
- fresh parsley or thyme for garnish
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a generous pinch of salt. Cook the pasta just shy of al dente according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Season Chicken: While the pasta cooks, lightly sprinkle both sides of the chicken breasts with kosher salt, garlic powder, fresh-ground black pepper, and lemon zest.
- Cook Chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot and butter has melted, cook chicken for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and almost fully cooked. Remove chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Sauté Aromatics: Reduce heat to medium and add remaining 1 tablespoon each of olive oil and butter to the pan. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for 30-60 seconds until fragrant.
- Make Sauce: Pour in white wine, scraping browned bits from the pan as the wine bubbles. Add chicken broth, lemon juice, additional lemon zest, and Italian seasoning. Bring to a simmer and let bubble for about 1 minute to combine flavors.
- Toss Pasta and Cheese: Stir in the drained pasta followed by the grated Parmesan cheese. Toss well to coat. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed.
- Finish Cooking Chicken: Nestle chicken breasts back into the skillet among the pasta. Let cook another 1-2 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked through.
- Serve: Garnish with lemon wedges, fresh parsley or thyme, and an extra sprinkle of Parmesan. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Adjust the red pepper flakes to your preferred heat level: reduce to 1/8 teaspoon for mildness or omit if sensitive to spice; add extra flakes at the table for more kick.
- For bite-sized chicken pieces, cook chicken completely in step 3, slice on a cutting board, then add pieces to the pasta in step 6.
- If white wine is unavailable, substitute with additional chicken broth plus a teaspoon of white vinegar or lemon juice.
- Use gluten-free pasta to make this recipe gluten free.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
