Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta
Seared chicken and pasta tossed in a silky garlic cream sauce brightened with fresh lemon zest and juice.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 8 oz fettuccine or penne
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts about 2 medium
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 lemon zested and juiced
- ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese divided
- salt and black pepper to taste
- fresh parsley chopped, for garnish
Instructions
Cooking
- Boil the pasta in salted water until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water, then drain.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook for 5 to 7 minutes per side, until golden and 165 degrees F in the center. Rest 5 minutes, then slice.
- Lower the heat to medium low. Add the garlic to the skillet and stir for 30 seconds.
- Pour in the heavy cream, add the lemon zest, and simmer gently for 3 to 4 minutes, until slightly thickened. Do not boil hard.
- Take the skillet off the heat. Stir in the lemon juice and half of the Parmesan until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the pasta and sliced chicken and toss, adding splashes of pasta water until silky. Top with the remaining Parmesan and parsley.
Notes
Add the lemon juice off the heat so the cream does not curdle. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and use within 3 days. Reheat gently with a splash of cream or milk. Nutrition is an estimate calculated from the ingredients.