Description
A quick and satisfying weeknight dinner featuring tender chicken, fresh vegetables, and a zingy lemon flavor, all cooked in one skillet.
Ingredients
Scale
- 16 oz (454 g) mini farfalle pasta or any bite-size pasta
- 2–3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder, divided
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, divided
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 zucchini, chopped
- 1 yellow squash, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 tablespoons butter (57 g)
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (60 g)
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (95 g)
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped (15 g)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente.
- Drain and set aside.
- Pat the chicken breasts dry. Season both sides with salt, pepper, lemon zest, ½ teaspoon of garlic powder, ½ teaspoon of Italian seasoning, and onion powder.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the chicken and cook for 3–5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through.
- Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate and cover loosely with foil.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the same skillet.
- Toss in the chopped zucchini and yellow squash, seasoning with salt, pepper, the remaining ½ teaspoon garlic powder, and ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning.
- Cook for about 2 minutes, then add the minced garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the cooked pasta into the skillet with the vegetables.
- Stir in the butter and lemon juice until melted and evenly coated.
- Stir in the parmesan cheese and toss to combine.
- Slice the cooked chicken and return it to the skillet, tossing well to combine.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and extra parmesan cheese before serving.
Notes
For variations, consider adding shrimp for protein or making it vegetarian by substituting chickpeas.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Skillet Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 500mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 52g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 24g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
Keywords: lemon chicken pasta, quick dinner, family meal