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Creamy Lemon Garlic Pasta with Chicken

Close-up of Creamy Lemon Garlic Pasta with Chicken topped generously with fresh parsley.
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Make a rich and flavorful pasta dish featuring tender chicken coated in a bright lemon garlic cream sauce. This recipe is quick enough for a weeknight meal.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound linguine or fettuccine pasta
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

  1. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta and set aside.
  2. While the pasta cooks, season the chicken pieces lightly with salt and pepper.
  3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set it aside.
  4. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the minced garlic to the same skillet and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant. Do not let the garlic burn.
  5. Pour in the white wine or broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it simmer for 2 minutes until slightly reduced.
  6. Stir in the heavy cream, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly.
  7. Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until the sauce is smooth. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water until you reach your desired consistency.
  8. Return the cooked chicken to the skillet. Add the drained pasta and toss everything together until the pasta is evenly coated in the sauce. Add more salt and pepper if needed.
  9. Stir in the fresh parsley. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan cheese on top.

Notes

  • Reserve more pasta water than you think you need; it is key to emulsifying and thinning the sauce without losing creaminess.
  • Use fresh lemon juice and zest for the best bright flavor. Bottled juice changes the taste.
  • For a richer sauce, substitute half of the heavy cream with cream cheese, softened.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://spoonswirl.com/creamy-lemon-garlic-pasta-with-chicken/