Listen. If your weeknight dinners have been heavy, beige and endlessly samey; you need intervention. Your intervention is here. Zesty lemon and garlicky butter, with gorgeously browned chicken and those cute little farfalle bowtie pastas which sop up all of that silky, butter sauce?
This is bright and zippy and fancy as sin, yet it takes a mere 30 minutes to look this good. You deserve this one.
Why Parmesan Goes in Last
Parmesan melts QUICK. Too early and then creamy sauce, you will be left with rubbery clumps.
- Stir in cheese AFTER the heat drops for 30s as pasta sets off the hob.
- Use grated parmesan — pre-shredded has anti-caking agents that ruin the quality.
- Add it slowly in gradual increments whilst tossing gently. Too much at once it all seizes up.
- Save some parmesan too, as a garnish for each bowl to provide a salty punch.
Lemon Chicken Pasta: The Cooking Process
Babeee, this lemon chicken pasta is BRIGHT, fresh, and essentially SPRING in pasta form.
Cut the chicken into 1-inch pieces and toss in a bowl with Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, lemon zest, onion powder, and garlic powder until thoroughly coated.
Cut the zucchini and yellow squash into 1/4-inch half-moons and save.
In a large skillet, heat 2.5 tsp olive oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
Add the chicken in a single layer (work in batches if necessary, okay?) and sear for 3 to 5 minutes on each side until the chicken is cooked thru and gloriously brown.
Pasta should be cooked in boiling water until al dente, drained, and left aside.
Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in the same skillet and sauté the zucchini and yellow squash until they begin to soften, about two minutes.
Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and garlic powder and heat for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add the butter and lemon juice and stir until the butter melts into a smooth sauce.
Add the cooked pasta and chicken to the skillet and stir.
Don’t add the parmesan too early or it will get gritty. Add it at the very end and whisk until it’s completely melty and creamy.
Add salt and pepper to taste for seasoning.
Spoon into bowls, sprinkle with additional parmesan and a large handful of fresh parsley, and serve while still warm and creamy.
Dinner’s ready.
Storing & Reheating Leftovers
After cooking, place leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for two hours. They will only last for three to four days at most; after that, the lemon flavor becomes strange.
To bring back that creamy sauce, reheat slowly over medium-low heat in a skillet with a dash of water or chicken broth. The spaghetti becomes softer when cooked in a microwave (use 50% power in 30-second bursts, stirring in between).
Keep this meal from freezing! When the zucchini and cream-based sauce defrost, they become mushy and runny. Making a new batch would be preferable! Do you want to prepare in advance? For the best texture, assemble the finished meal immediately before serving, but cook the chicken and chop the vegetables earlier.
What to Cook Next
- Tasty One-Pot Tuscan Chicken Pasta
- Tasty Marry Me Chicken Pasta
- Simple Chicken Pasta
- Juicy Lemon Chicken Orzo Bake
- 5-Ingredient Lemon Pasta Recipe
- Irresistible Creamy Boursin Chicken Pasta
Lemon Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 3 boneless chicken breasts (cut into 1-inch pieces for even cooking)
- 1.5 tsp lemon zest (freshly grated for the best citrus aroma)
- 3/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 2.5 tbsp olive oil (I use Bertolli Extra Virgin)
- salt
- black pepper
For the pasta and vegetables:
- 16 oz farfalle (I always use Barilla for the best al dente texture)
- 1 zucchini (sliced into 1/4-inch half-moons)
- 1 yellow squash (sliced into 1/4-inch half-moons)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves (freshly minced for best flavor)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp italian seasoning
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 4 tbsp butter (I prefer Kerrygold unsalted butter for this)
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- 1 cup parmesan cheese
For the garnish:
- 1/4 cup parsley
Instructions
- To ensure effective cooking, gather all ingredients and measure them out. After cutting the chicken breasts into 1-inch pieces, put them in a basin. Put the salt, black pepper, lemon zest, onion powder, garlic powder (3/4 tsp), and Italian seasoning (1/2 tsp) in a small bowl. Allow the spices to seep into the meat by tossing the chicken pieces with this seasoning mixture until they are well coated. Cut the yellow squash and zucchini into 1/4-inch half-moons and save.
- Cook the chicken as the pasta water comes to a boil. In a big skillet, heat 2.5 teaspoons of olive oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Working in batches if necessary to prevent crowding, add the seasoned chicken pieces in a single layer and fry for 3–5 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through. Place the cooked chicken onto a dish. In the meantime, cook the pasta as directed on the package until it is al dente, drain, and set aside.
- Add one tablespoon of olive oil to the same skillet and cook the yellow squash and zucchini slices for two minutes, or until they start to soften. Add the freshly chopped garlic cloves, Italian seasoning (1/2 tsp), red pepper flakes, and garlic powder (1/2 tsp). Cook for 30 seconds until aromatic. The fast sauté properly releases the fresh flavor of the garlic, so I prefer to use it now rather than earlier to prevent it from browning and becoming bitter. Add the butter and lemon juice straight away, stirring continuously until the butter melts completely and forms a smooth sauce.
- Toss carefully to coat everything equally after adding the prepared pasta from Step 2 to the skillet with the sauce and vegetables. Return to the skillet after chopping the cooked chicken that was set aside into small pieces. When the dish is cohesive and creamy, add the parmesan cheese and stir until completely absorbed. Season with salt and pepper to taste and adjust as necessary. In order to prevent it from clumping or becoming gritty from extended heat, I like to add the parmesan right at the end.
- The lemon chicken spaghetti should be divided among serving dishes or bowls. For brightness and richness, add a small handful of more parmesan cheese and a big amount of freshly chopped parsley. As soon as the sauce is creamy and the pasta is warm, serve.
I cut this recipe in half since it’s just me and my husband. It was fresh and light, yet still tasty! Would make it again! The one edit I made was I grilled my chicken instead of cooking it inside.