Description
A vibrant pasta dish with tender chicken, a creamy lemon sauce, and perfect seasoning that brings sunshine to your dinner table.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz pasta (penne, fettuccine, or spaghetti)
- 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp lemon pepper seasoning
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (optional)
- Lemon slices
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, season the chicken strips with lemon pepper seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the seasoned chicken strips to the skillet and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, turning once until they turn golden brown and cook thoroughly. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Reduce the skillet heat to medium. Toss in the minced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds until it’s fragrant.
- Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and chicken broth, scraping the skillet to loosen any delicious browned bits left behind.
- Pour in the heavy cream and let the mixture come to a gentle simmer. Now stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until the cheese melts and the sauce is smooth and creamy.
- Return the cooked chicken and pasta to the skillet. Toss everything together until well combined. If the sauce appears too thick, gradually add some of the reserved pasta water to reach your preferred consistency.
- Serve the pasta warm, garnished with chopped fresh parsley and lemon slices.
Notes
Tip: Don’t overcook the pasta! It should be al dente as it will finish cooking in the sauce.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Skillet Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 500mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 34g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
Keywords: chicken pasta, lemon pasta, easy dinner, quick recipe