Lemon Chicken Pasta
Light, easy to make, and ready in just 30 minutes. The lemon garlic sauce is light yet bursting with flavor for a simple meal everyone will enjoy.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces pasta any shape
- 4 thin-sliced boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- fresh-ground black pepper
- zest of 1 large lemon
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil divided
- 2 Tablespoons butter divided
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 3/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
- lemon wedges fresh parsley or thyme, for serving
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add a generous pinch of salt, and cook pasta to just shy of al dente, according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- While pasta cooks, lightly sprinkle the chicken on both sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and lemon zest.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 Tablespoon each of olive oil and butter. When the pan is hot and the butter just melted, cook the chicken for 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown and very nearly cooked through. Remove to a plate and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium, and add the remaining 1 Tablespoon each of olive oil and butter to the pan. Add garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook 30-60 seconds, just until fragrant.
- Pour in white wine and, as it bubbles, scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pan to incorporate them into the sauce. Add broth, lemon juice, a bit more lemon zest, and Italian seasoning, then bring the sauce to a simmer. Let it bubble for about 1 minute.
- Add drained pasta and Parmesan. Toss well, sample, and add more salt and black or red pepper to taste.
- Nestle chicken breasts back into the skillet among the pasta. Let cook for another 1-2 minutes, just until chicken is fully cooked through. Garnish with lemon wedges and fresh parsley or thyme, plus an extra sprinkling of Parmesan as desired. Serve right away.
Notes
- Adjust the red pepper flakes to your taste: With just the suggested 1/4 teaspoon in the sauce, the overall dish is still pretty mild, but if your family is super sensitive to heat, consider cutting it back to 1/8 teaspoon or omitting it entirely. On the other hand, if you love a little kick, sprinkle extra red pepper flakes over everything prior to serving, or pass them at the table.
- If you prefer to pre-slice the chicken, go ahead and cook it all the way through in the second step, then slice it on a cutting board and add in bite-sized pieces to the pasta.
Nutrition Estimate
Calories: 498 kcal, Carbohydrates: 45 g, Protein: 34 g, Fat: 18 g, Saturated Fat: 6 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8 g, Trans Fat: 1 g, Cholesterol: 92 mg, Sodium: 869 mg, Potassium: 604 mg, Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 2 g, Vitamin A: 302 IU, Vitamin C: 5 mg, Calcium: 107 mg, Iron: 2 mg
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