This restaurant-worthy Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta is easy enough for weeknights, yet impressive enough for company. It’s a family favorite recipe (and one that I actually adapted from my husband!) that is a guaranteed crowd pleaser.

Why You’ll Love this Lemon Chicken Pasta

• A Super Satisfying Meal. You can’t beat a meal that is hearty, comforting, family-friendly, and makes fabulous leftovers the next day.
• Adaptable. I am very much a fan of bulking up pastas to make them more nutritious and filling. This recipe is a blank canvas to do just that. You can add spinach, roasted tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, or broccoli florets. (Pesto Chicken Pasta Bake and this One Pan Pasta are great examples of bulking up pasta recipes.)
• Weeknight-Friendly. This Lemon Chicken Pasta comes together in right under 40 minutes. I suggest serving it with a fresh green salad on the side to really round out the meal.

This recipe is actually one my husband, Kyle, has been making the past few months.

Every time I share it on Instagram stories, I am flooded with recipe inquiries. So we finally got around to re-testing (and perfecting!) it so I could share it on my site.

I love how the lemon cuts through the richness of the cream sauce to create a more balanced, beautifully bright flavor profile.

We personally love pairing the pasta with chicken, however I imagine shrimp would also be super tasty.

And if you’re on the hunt for more crave-worthy pasta recipes, try this Mediterranean Pasta or my Red Pesto Pasta next.

The Ingredients

• Chicken: I prefer using boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced into cutlets.
• Spices: A mix of oregano, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper create a zesty flavor profile for the chicken. I also love adding a little lemon zest to the mix, however totally optional!
• Olive Oil + Butter: If you prefer using all olive oil, that’s totally fine. Butter just adds a little extra richness.
• Onion: You can use sweet onion, yellow onion, or shallots.
• Garlic: I go heavy with the garlic (6 cloves), however feel free to use as much or as little as you like.
• Heavy Cream: To create a luxuriously creamy sauce. Alternatively, you can use half-and-half.
• Broth: Chicken broth helps create a more flavorful sauce. Alternatively, you can use vegetable broth.
• Parsley: Be sure to use fresh parsley for bright, herbaceous flavor. Stay away from dried herbs, which are lackluster in flavor. 
• Lemon: We’re using both lemon zest and juice for a double installment of lemony goodness. Bright flavor from the whole lemon gives this pasta its name and makes the flavors sing.
• Parmesan: Be sure to buy the real-deal, and grate it yourself right off of the block.
• Pasta: I prefer a long, twirl-worthy noodle like bucatini, pappardelle, or fettuccine. Shorter noodles do not work as well, since part of how the silky sauce forms is due to the way long noodles swoosh and sway through the sauce.

For a complete list of recipe ingredients and quantities, see the recipe card below.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Season and Cook Chicken

Place chicken in a bowl along with olive oil, spices, and lemon zest. Toss well to evenly coat.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Arrange chicken in pan and cook until golden and cooked through, about 7 to 10 minutes, depending on thickness. Transfer to a plate.

Step 2: Sauté Onion and Garlic

Add butter to pan along with onion; cook until softened, about 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 2 more minutes.

Step 3: Add Broth and Heavy Cream, and season with salt and pepper. Simmer until the sauce slightly thickens, about 5 minutes.

Step 4: Stir in Parsley, Parmesan, and Lemon.

Step 5: Add Pasta to sauce, along with 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Toss continuously until the sauce is smooth and creamy.

Step 6: Top Pasta with Chicken, and garnish with extra Parmesan, parsley, black pepper, and a squeeze of lemon.

Recipe Variations

• Add Veggies. This Lemon Chicken Pasta is very much a blank canvas to bulk up with your veggie(s) of choice. I love adding seared mushrooms, broccoli, and/or a few handfuls of fresh spinach or baby arugula. Roasted tomatoes or sun-dried tomatoes are also lovely additions.
• Use a Different Protein. In place of chicken, shrimp is also fantastic with this pasta.
• Make Gluten Free. Use your favorite brand of gluten free noodles – I prefer something brown rice or chickpea-based.

Serving Suggestions

I love serving this Lemon Chicken Pasta with a fresh side salad. It’s also delicious with a simple sautéed veggie. Here are a few suggestions:

• Sautéed Broccoli. Easy, speedy (ready in 15 minutes!), and the perfect pairing for a creamy pasta dish.
• Brussels Salad. This one includes pears, pecans, and a delicious whole-grain mustard dressing.
• Sautéed Zucchini. During the summer months, you can’t beat this garlic-herb sautéed zucchini recipe.
• Shaved Brussels Salad. This lovely salad is tossed with pears, pumpkin seeds, apple, and Manchego cheese. Plus a punchy lemon-Dijon dressing!

How to Store and Reheat:

• To Store. Place leftovers in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• To Reheat. Gently rewarm pasta in a large skillet on the stove over medium heat, adding a splash of broth as needed to rehydrate the noodles and thin the sauce. Toss the noodles often and brighten them up with a squeeze of fresh lemon.

More Delicious Chicken Pasta Recipes

NFNut-Free

Pesto Chicken Pasta Bake

30 Minute Chicken Florentine Pasta

DFDairy-FreeNFNut-Free

Honey Mustard Chicken Pasta Salad

NFNut-FreeLCLow Carb

Skinny Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

If you give this Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta a try, be sure to snap a pic and tag #dishingouthealth so I can see your creations. Also, follow along on Facebook and Pinterest for the latest recipe updates!