Creamy lemon chicken pasta is the perfect treat for those days when only a high dose of carbs will do. Made with chicken, loads of lemon, garlic and cream, this chicken pasta with lemon is ready in just 25 minutes, but it tastes beyond incredible.
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My love for pasta runs deep and even though I typically go for vegetarian or seafood pasta dishes, there are days when I crave some juicy chicken breast.
Enter this creamy lemon chicken pasta. It features a luxuriously rich, lemon-infused sauce that complements the golden bits of chicken to perfection.
Besides being super easy to make, this lemon butter chicken pasta is so good everyone is guaranteed to rave about it.
Why you’ll love this creamy lemon chicken pasta
- It’s ready in 25 minutes. Less than half an hour from start to finish is all it takes to get this creamy chicken rigatoni on the table. It’s just the perfect recipe for a busy weeknight, but also special enough for a date night with your other half!
- It’s perfect for lemon lovers. If you love lemons, you’ll fall in love with this lemon cream chicken pasta. You can really feel the lemon in the sauce, and the way it pairs with the chicken and garlic is absolutely divine.
- It’s a great mix of carbs and protein. Mixing chicken with pasta gives you a complete meal that will keep you full for hours.
What goes into lemon cream chicken pasta?
Olive oil + butter — A mix of olive oil and butter sets the perfect flavour base for this sauce. It also makes it creamier than just using olive oil.
Chicken breast — I like to cut the chicken breast fillets into bite-sized pieces so they cook quickly. Make sure you don’t overcook it, though, as dry chicken is not what you want in this recipe.
Shallot — The delicate flavour of shallots is just perfect for this pasta sauce.
Garlic — Freshly minced or crushed garlic will give you the best flavour in pasta sauces such as this.
Dry white wine — You need a dry white wine for this creamy lemon chicken pasta recipe. Pinot Grigio or sauvignon blanc are both good choices. If you don’t cook with wine, you can substitute it with chicken stock.
Lemon juice and zest — To get the perfect lemony sauce for this pasta, you’ll have to use both the juice and zest of a lemon.
Double cream — The cream will give the sauce the perfect texture. You can use single cream (half and half) if you want to cut down on calories, but the sauce won’t be as creamy.
Parmesan — Freshly grated parmesan will infuse the sauce with a delicious flavour while also making the sauce creamy and extra thick.
Pasta — I used rigatoni to make this lemon pasta with chicken, but any other type of short pasta will do.
How to make lemon chicken pasta
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it generously, and cook the pasta al dente according to the instructions on the package. Reserve 1-2 cups of water before draining the pasta.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large, deep pan and melt the butter in it. Add the chicken breast and cook for 4-5 minutes over medium heat until slightly golden.
Stir in the shallot and garlic and continue to cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Next, pour in the wine and use your spoon or spatula to deglaze the pot. Cook for a minute until the alcohol has evaporated almost completely.
Add the lemon juice and zest and continue to cook for another minute, stirring often. Next, stir in the cream and parmesan and allow the sauce to bubble for 1-2 minutes.
Transfer the cooked pasta to the pan and toss to cover well in the sauce. Add a dash of pasta water if the sauce looks too thick.
Stir in the fresh parsley, season to taste, and serve immediately, with extra grated parmesan on top if you like.
Leftovers and storage
- This creamy lemon chicken pasta is best served immediately. If you do have leftovers, they’ll keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
- Reheat the pasta in the microwave — you may need to add a dash of water or chicken stock if it looks too thick.
- I don’t recommend freezing this pasta dish.
Recipe notes and tips
- Don’t forget to salt your pasta water! They say it should be as salty as the Mediterranean, which is roughly about 1-½ tablespoons of salt for every pound of pasta.
- You can add some sundried tomatoes or capers to this lemon chicken pasta.
- To make it really decadent, you can sprinkle some crispy bits of pancetta on top of each bowl right before serving.
If you liked this creamy lemon chicken pasta, you might also like some of my other easy chicken recipes:
- Creamy Chicken Boursin Pasta
- Easy Creamy Spicy Chicken Pasta
- Creamy Chicken Gnocchi
- Creamy Rasta Pasta Recipe
- Easiest Ever Creamy Chicken Fajita Pasta
Looking for more delicious inspiration? Follow Skinny Spatula on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest!
Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta
Creamy lemon chicken pasta is the perfect treat for those days when only a high dose of carbs will do. Made with chicken, loads of lemon, garlic and cream, this chicken pasta with lemon is ready in just 25 minutes, but it tastes beyond incredible.
Ingredients
- 250 g (8.8 oz) rigatoni (or another short pasta)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 20 g (1 tablespoon) unsalted butter
- 350 g ( ¾ lb) chicken breast fillets, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 large shallot, finely chopped
- 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 75 ml (⅓ cup) dry white wine
- Juice of 1 medium lemon
- Zest of half a medium lemon
- 200 ml (1 cup) double (heavy) cream
- 30 g (⅓ cup) grated parmesan
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, roughly chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it generously, and cook the pasta al dente according to the instructions on the package. Reserve 1-2 cups of water before draining the pasta.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large, deep pan and melt the butter in it. Add the chicken breast and cook for 4-5 minutes over medium heat until slighlty golden.
- Stir in the shallot and garlic and continue to cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Next, pour in the wine and use your spoon or spatula to deglaze the pot. Cook for a minute until the alcohol has evaporated almost completely.
- Add the lemon juice and zest and continue to cook for another minute, stirring often. Next, stir in the cream and parmesan and allow the sauce to bubble for 1-2 minutes.
- Transfer the cooked pasta to the pan and toss to cover well in the sauce. Add a dash of pasta water if the sauce looks too thick.
- Stir in the fresh parsley, season to taste, and serve immediately, with extra grated parmesan on top if you like.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 408Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 92mgSodium: 315mgCarbohydrates: 34gFiber: 3gSugar: 9gProtein: 34g
Nutritional information is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator.
Paul DeLancey says
Yes please.