Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta

This Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta is a quick and delicious meal for busy weeknights. Creamy and delicious with a hint of lemon. Yum!

Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta

Pasta dishes make for a simple dinner and are enjoyed by all. This Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta is no exception! It is delicious and easy to make.

This simple dinner is an absolute delight to the taste buds. It is creamy, and tangy, and has just the right amount of spices to complement the chicken and the creamy lemon sauce. It’s perfect for family nights, special occasions, or even for meal prep, and it’s guaranteed to become a crowd-pleaser in your household.

To make this dish, you can use fresh chicken or pre-cooked chicken. Real lemons are best, but bottled lemon juice will work too. It is delicious either way!  (Of course, nothing beats fresh lemon, so if you have ’em, use ’em!)

Why you’ll love this dish

• Easy and Quick: You can have dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes. The diced chicken cooks in a fraction of that time while the pasta is boiling. (And if you use precooked chicken it will take even less time.)
• Customizable: One of the best things about this dish is that it’s so customizable. If you want more lemon flavor, you can add some zest or more lemon juice to the sauce. Want it spicier? Add additional red pepper flakes. If you’re looking for a vegetarian option, you can substitute the chicken with mushrooms or tofu, or just leave it out. This dish can easily adapt to whatever ingredients you have on hand.
• Perfect for meal prep: You can easily double or triple the recipe. It’s a great option to have in the fridge for busy weekday lunches or for when you want a break from cooking.

Ingredients needed

• Dried pasta | I love using the Barilla Protein pasta to help meet my protein goals.
• Chicken Breast | You can use uncooked or precooked chicken in this recipe.
• Olive oil | For cooking the chicken.
• 1 lemon | I recommend fresh lemon for the best flavor, but bottled will work too.
• Spices | garlic cloves, basil, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper
• Half and half or heavy cream | Using heavy cream will create a richer sauce and will allow it to thicken without the help of additional thickeners.
• Grated Parmesan | For flavor.
• 1 cup of reserved pasta cooking liquid | Don’t forget to reserve a cup of cooking water. The cooking water adds a bit of salty flavor and helps bind and thicken the sauce and helps to make it extra silky and creamy.
• Cornstarch | (If needed – If using half and half, you may desire a thicker sauce.)

How to make Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta

1 Cook the Pasta: Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water. Reserve about a cup of the pasta cooking liquid when draining the pasta. Keep pasta warm.

2 Cook the chicken: While the pasta is cooking, season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high and add 3 tablespoons of olive oil, chicken, garlic, and red pepper flakes to a saute pan. Cook until the chicken is golden and completely cooked. (If using precooked chicken, saute the garlic and red pepper for about 3 minutes before adding the chicken, then cook a minute or two longer until the chicken is hot and thoroughly coated with spices.)

3 Make the sauce: Add the pasta cooking liquid, lemon juice, Parmesan cheese, and cream to the chicken mixture. Cook over medium heat until the sauce has thickened. (If you want your cream sauce thicker, add a tsp of cornstarch to 2 tablespoons of water and mix into the sauce. Continue cooking until desired thickness is achieved.)

4 Combine and serve: Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and turn the heat off. Mix everything together until the pasta is thoroughly coated. Top with dried basil, cracked fresh pepper, and additional Parmesan cheese.

Recipe Tips

• To keep the pasta from sticking together after cooking, mix in about 1 tsp of olive oil.
• For a more intense lemon flavor, add some lemon zest to the sauce as it cooks.
• Use precooked chicken for an even easier and faster dish.

Variations

• Try swapping the chicken with shrimp or salmon for a seafood twist. If you’re a vegetarian, try using mushrooms or zucchini for a hearty and flavorful filling.
• Adding peas, broccoli, or asparagus would be a fabulous complement to this dish.
• You can add greens like spinach, kale, or arugula to the dish for a healthy boost.
• For a bit of color, add half a diced red bell pepper or a handful of quartered cherry tomatoes to the sauce when cooking.
• Fresh basil, instead of dried, will add a pretty garnish and a lovely fresh and bright pop of flavor.

Storage Suggestions

Place leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge, for up to four days. You can easily reheat it on the stove or in the microwave for a quick meal when you’re in a hurry. I do not recommend freezing.

More Easy Chicken Pasta Recipes

• Creamy Cajun Sausage Pasta (Use Sausage Or Chicken)
• Chicken and Tortellini Pasta Salad
• Creamy Chicken Noodle Skillet Recipe
• Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Skillet
• Creamy Chicken and Asparagus Pasta

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