Lemon Pasta with Chicken
The Creamy Chicken Pasta that will get a “Mom, this is so good!” The combination of golden brown chicken, spinach and a bright lemon cream sauce will have pasta lovers of all ages complimenting you!
This Creamy Chicken Pasta is a Perfect Weeknight Dinner!
“Mom, this is so good I want you to take my photo with it.” <— The best review a dish will ever get, from my 5-year-old daughter.
And take her photo I did, smiling up at me from her plate of creamy chicken pasta. A recipe that almost seems tailor-made to be loved by people of all ages. Chicken? Good! Pasta? Good! Creamy sauce? GOOD.
Think of this as a slightly more modern take on chicken fettuccine alfredo. The sauce is still luxurious but a bit thinner, and not goopy or too rich. The chicken is golden brown with some crispy bits that everybody loves.
The combination of lemon zest and lemon juice adds a brightness that keeps you coming back for bite after bite. And just like with my famous creamy salmon pasta, there’s a whole heck of a lot of spinach in there that’s cooked down to practically nothing, so you’re getting a big dose of vitamins and nutrients twirled around your fork with the noodles.
Why You’ll Love This Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta
- It’s been tested over and over again to ensure that every element (pasta, chicken, sauce) is done at the same time. No guesswork needed!
- This recipe is a hit with kids and adults alike. Creamy pasta is always a crowd pleaser!
- It’s easy to tweak this recipe to include your favorite vegetables or swap the chicken out for another protein.
Chicken Pasta Recipe Ingredients
- chicken breast – I like leaner, white meat chicken for this particular dish, but if you want to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs, I’ll cheer you on for that decision. You could also use shrimp here.
- salt and pepper – for seasoning the chicken and the sauce.
- flour – to lightly coat the chicken and give it that crispy, golden brown exterior we all know and love.
- pasta – I like linguine for this chicken pasta recipe, but spaghetti or fettuccine also work great. You can also use a shorter shape, like penne pasta, if you prefer. Anything goes!
- butter and olive oil – for sauteeing the chicken and the garlic. I like the combination of both for the best flavor.
- garlic – adds a bold, aromatic flavor to the rich sauce.
- lemon zest and juice – provides a bright, zesty citrus flavor that balances the richness of the creamy sauce. Buy an extra lemon to cut into wedges for serving, which everybody can squeeze over their pasta for an extra burst of lemon.
- heavy cream – the backbone of the luxurious sauce that coats the pasta.
- dry white wine – adds depth of flavor to the sauce. Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc work great here.
- Italian seasoning – this dried herb blend has things like oregano and basil that will enhance the flavor of the sauce.
- red pepper flakes – adds a subtle heat that contrasts with the creaminess.
- baby spinach – let’s add a whole box of leafy greens to this creamy lemon chicken pasta to add some freshness and lots of vitamins and nutrients!
- Parmesan cheese – a salty, umami finish to the dish.
How to Make Chicken Pasta
1. PREP CHICKEN. Cut each chicken breast in half horizontally so that you have thinner pieces. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and dredge each piece in flour.
2. COOK PASTA. Cook the linguine in a large pot of salted water according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cook water before draining the pasta.
3. SAUTE. While the pasta water is heating and the pasta starts cooking, cook the chicken in a high-sided skillet with butter and olive oil until it is golden brown and cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a plate, then add the garlic and remaining butter to the skillet and cook briefly.
4. SAUCE. Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, cream, wine, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes and remaining salt and pepper and heat to boiling, then reduce heat and cook until the mixture is thickened to a thin sauce consistency.
5. TOSS. Add the spinach to the skillet, then add the cooked pasta and some of the reserved pasta water on top of the spinach. Cook over low heat for a few minutes while tossing, until the spinach is just wilted.
6. SERVE. Thinly slice the chicken and arrange it over the pasta. Serve the dish sprinkled with Parmesan cheese and garnished with lemon wedges for squeezing over the pasta.
Home Chef Tips
- We always reserve more pasta water than we think we need in case the sauce ends up too thick. Add a splash more pasta water to loosen it up.
- If your pan isn’t large enough to cook all of the chicken at once without overcrowding it, do it in two batches.
Creamy Chicken Pasta Variations
- CHANGE THE GREENS – Don’t have spinach? Try an equal amount of baby arugula, or shredded kale or Swiss chard with this chicken and pasta.
- ADD TOMATOES – Stir in a handful of halved fresh cherry tomatoes or blistered tomatoes right before you toss everything together.
- MEATLESS – Keep it meatless by omitting the chicken, or use my spinach mushroom pasta recipe for a version that uses mushrooms in place of the chicken.
- DIFFERENT CHEESE – Swap the Parmesan for Asiago or Pecorino Romano for a sharper cheese flavor.
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How to Serve Pasta with Chicken
Because there’s already so much spinach in the pasta itself, I usually skip serving a salad with this pasta, and choose a roasted vegetable like balsamic asparagus or roasted glazed carrots instead.
Our homemade garlic bread recipe or easy yeast rolls are always perfect for mopping up any extra sauce left on your plate.
How to Store Leftover Creamy Chicken and Pasta
If you have leftovers, transfer them to a storage container and place them in the fridge uncovered for a few hours until they are fully chilled, then cover them with the lid and keep in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
I do not suggest freezing this dish, as the cream sauce will have a compromised texture when thawed and reheated.
Gently reheat this pasta with chicken on your stovetop over medium-low heat, with a splash of cream or milk added to revive the sauce.
You can also reheat this in the microwave at 50% power, stirring every minute until heated through.
Creamy Chicken Pasta FAQs
To keep your creamy pasta from drying out, make sure you are using enough liquid when forming the sauce. Adding reserved pasta water helps maintain the right texture.
When making creamy chicken pasta, add as much reserved pasta water as you need to keep the sauce nice and creamy. When reheating, add a small amount of milk or cream to bring back the creamy consistency.
If your sauce turns out too watery, let the pasta simmer a few minutes longer to allow some of the liquid to evaporate. You can also stir in a bit of Parmesan cheese to thicken things up!
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Chicken and Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt divided
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper divided
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 12 ounces linguine
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- Grated zest of 1 lemon (about 2 teaspoons)
- Juice of 1/2 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup dry white wine
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 box baby spinach (5 ounces)
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese for serving
- Lemon wedges for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Cut each chicken breast in half horizontally, so that instead of having 2 or 3 thick chicken breasts, you have 4 or 6 thinner pieces.
- Sprinkle chicken all over with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper.
- Place flour in shallow bowl and add chicken pieces, one at a time, turning until they are completely coated in flour, shaking excess flour off before placing on large plate.
- Heat large covered pot of water to boiling over high heat. Add linguine and large pinch of salt and cook pasta, uncovered, according to package instructions for al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, then drain pasta and set aside.
- Meanwhile, while pasta water is heating and pasta starts cooking, in large high-sided skillet or Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon butter and oil over medium heat. Add chicken and cook 6 to 7 minutes or until rich golden brown on both sides and internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F, turning once halfway through cooking. Transfer chicken to clean plate and loosely cover with foil to keep warm.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and add garlic and remaining 1 tablespoon butter to same skillet. Cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, cream, wine, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper. Heat to boiling over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium and cook 5 to 6 minutes or until mixture is thickened to a thin sauce consistency, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low.
- Add spinach to skillet.
- Add cooked pasta and 1/4 cup reserved pasta water to skillet on top of spinach. Cook over low heat 1 to 2 minutes, tossing frequently, or until spinach is just wilted.
- Thinly slice chicken and arrange over pasta. Serve pasta sprinkled with Parmesan cheese and garnished with lemon wedges for squeezing over pasta, if desired.
Love the lemony flavor!! Takes away that heavy sauce taste you get with others!
Thanks so much, Debbie!