Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta

Creamy lemon chicken pasta combines a citrusy garlic cream sauce with tender pasta and flavorful lemon chicken cutlets. Enjoy an impressive restaurant quality meal made at home in under 20 minutes!

best lemon chicken pasta recipe

With its short cook time and comforting creamy flavor, creamy lemon chicken pasta makes an easy homemade meal perfect for busy weeknights or entertaining. Similar to chicken and broccoli pasta bake or chicken tetrazzini casserole, the combination of chicken and pasta in a creamy sauce always wins compliments!

The lemon cream sauce and seasoned chicken cutlets comes together so fast, you’ll have to get a head start on boiling the pasta first. I recommend having all the ingredients prepped, measured, and ready to go before cooking so all the components are hot when ready to serve.

Similar to gluten-free alfredo sauce, the creamy lemon sauce does not contain a roux so it’s naturally gluten-free. To make a completely gluten free lemon chicken pasta meal, simply use your preferred gluten-free pasta!

Ingredient Notes

One of the many reasons I love this creamy chicken lemon pasta recipe is the versatility. To save on time, replace the chicken breasts with rotisserie chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces.

If you are serving this to company, or would like to make the dish extra special, use pan-fried breaded chicken breasts or gluten-free breaded chicken.

• Chicken breast cutlets – Since the creamy lemon sauce for the chicken and pasta comes together so quickly, slice through the boneless skinless chicken breasts horizontally to make thin chicken cutlets. They will take minutes to cook in a skillet while the rest of the recipe is prepared.
• Heavy cream – For best flavor use full-fat heavy cream. Half and half would be an adequate replacement to reduce calories, but I don’t recommend using milk.
• Fresh lemons – Using both the zest and lemon juice gives the best citrusy flavor.
• Garlic – For a more pronounced garlic lemon flavor, double the amount of garlic cloves.
• Pasta – Since the sauce mimics the taste and consistency of alfredo sauce, fettuccine pasta pairs well. However, shorter pastas, such as penne, rotini, or farfalle will also work. For a gluten-free recipe, I recommend Barilla gluten-free fettuccine.

how to make creamy chicken lemon pasta

(Below shows step-by-step photos and modified instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.)

1. First, prep all the ingredients before beginning the recipe, as the water boils for the pasta. Everything comes together fast and you don’t want the chicken or lemon sauce to grow cold while the pasta boils.
2. Season the chicken breast cutlets on each side with the seasoning – a combination of salt, pepper, garlic powder, and pepper.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil to heat and then add the chicken to cook for about 3 minutes per side. Once it’s done, squeeze lemon juice over the chicken.
4. While the chicken is cooking, prepare the creamy lemon sauce. Melt two tablespoons butter in a medium pot and cook the garlic.
5. Stir in the heavy cream, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce to a simmer and stir in the lemon zest and fresh lemon juice. Simmer gently until the pasta and chicken are done.
6. Remove the lemon cream sauce from the heat and stir in parmesan cheese until smooth and creamy.
7. Drain the pasta and combine with the lemon sauce. Garnish with parsley, if desired and serve immediately with the lemon chicken.

modifications and additions

For the ultimate seasonal spring meal, add peas, kale or spinach to the lemon sauce. This also adds a nice bright color and extends the pasta portion of the dish to feed more.

For the chicken, it may also be dredged in seasoned flour before cooking, similar to chicken piccata. While it’s an extra step, dipping the chicken in a beaten egg then panko or breadcrumbs also makes this a restaurant-worthy meal made at home!

To keep the recipe gluten-free, use gluten-free breadcrumbs or grill pesto chicken breasts using this grilled parmesan chicken recipe.

recipe notes and expert tips

1. The most important tip for success is to have all the ingredients prepared, measured, and ready to go before beginning. The recipe cooks fast and you don’t want the chicken or lemon sauce to become cold while the pasta finishes cooking.
2. The creamy lemon sauce will be thin at first, but continue to thicken as it cools.
3. For gluten-free lemon pasta, I recommend using Barilla gluten-free fettuccine or penne. When boiling gluten-free pasta, it’s important to cook to just al dente or it will break apart as it’s added to the sauce.
4. For an added layer of flavor, add 1/4 cup dry white wine, such as sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio, to the garlic butter. Simmer and reduce by half before adding the heavy cream.
5. For a vegetarian creamy lemon pasta recipe omit the chicken and simply serve as a meatless meal.
6. This meal is best enjoyed as soon as it is prepared. If you have leftovers, microwave on the defrost setting until almost warm and then finish at full power for 30 seconds.

what to serve with chicken pasta

This chicken pasta dish may be served as a complete all-in-one meal, but if you are looking for complimentary additions consider the following, or choose one of these easy sides to serve with fettuccine alfredo.

• Asparagus
• Green salad
• Marinated green bean salad
• Garlic bread
• Gluten-free breadsticks
• Panzanella salad
• Sauteed zucchini
• Garlic mushrooms

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