Lemon Chicken Pasta

Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta

This recipe is for a delicious and easy lemon chicken pasta with a creamy sauce.

Ingredients:

• For the Chicken:
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (thinly sliced or cubed)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
• For the Pasta:
  • 12 ounces dried pasta (fettuccine, spaghetti, or penne work well)
  • Salt for cooking the pasta
• For the Creamy Lemon Sauce:
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
  • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • Fresh parsley (chopped, for garnish, optional)

Cooking Guide:

1. Cook the Chicken: Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet or pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 5-7 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
2. Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions, until al dente (slightly firm to the bite). Reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta water before draining.
3. Make the Creamy Lemon Sauce: In the same pan used to cook the chicken (over medium heat), melt the butter. Add the garlic and onion powder, and cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant. Whisk in the flour and cook for another minute. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until thickened slightly.
4. Finish the Dish: Stir in the heavy whipping cream, lemon juice, and Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (If the sauce seems too thick, whisk in some of the reserved pasta water to thin it out.) Add the cooked chicken back to the pan and heat through for a minute or two.
5. Serve: Toss the cooked pasta with the creamy lemon sauce and chicken. Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired.

Tips:

• You can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of breasts. Just be sure to cook them for a few minutes longer, until they are cooked through.
• If you don’t have heavy whipping cream, you can substitute with milk or half-and-half, but the sauce will be thinner.
• To add a bit of green color and extra nutrients, you can stir in some chopped broccoli florets or spinach along with the chicken in step 1.
• Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.