Description

This Creamy Lemon Garlic Chicken Pasta is packed with juicy pan-seared chicken, tender pasta, and a silky smooth lemon garlic cream sauce. It’s rich but bright, cozy yet refreshing – everything you want in a pasta dinner!

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the Chicken:

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter

For the Pasta & Sauce:

12 oz pasta (fettuccine, linguine, or penne)

3 tbsp butter

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Juice of 1 lemon (about 2–3 tbsp)

Zest of 1 lemon

Salt and pepper, to taste

Optional: 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Chopped parsley, for garnish

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Instructions

Cook the pasta:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
Season and cook the chicken:
- Pound chicken to even thickness. Season both sides with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil and butter over medium-high heat.
- Cook chicken 4–5 minutes per side, until golden and cooked through. Remove and let rest, then slice thinly.
Make the sauce:
- In the same skillet, lower heat to medium. Add butter and garlic; sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Stir in cream and chicken broth, bring to a gentle simmer.
- Add Parmesan, lemon juice, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes (if using). Stir until smooth.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Combine:
- Add cooked pasta to the skillet and toss to coat. Add sliced chicken on top.
- Simmer for 1–2 minutes until heated through.

Serve:
- Garnish with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan if desired. Serve hot!

Notes

For extra veggies, stir in spinach, peas, or broccoli in the last few minutes of cooking.
Use half-and-half for a lighter sauce, or swap chicken for shrimp.

Leftovers reheat well with a splash of broth or cream.