This Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta is made in just ONE pot! This easy pasta is fast, fabulous and packed with flavor! Loaded with chicken, basil, peas, and ready from prep to finish in 30 minutes or less, this chicken pasta is perfect for busy weeknight dinners!
Updated: This post was originally published in April 2017. I edited the photos and changed some of the written post below to include more information. Plus, I added a recipe video to show you how easy this is to make!
Hi, friends! Today we are going to completely skip all the small talk and get right down to the food. Mostly, because Mondays are a drag; I’m just not feeling all the wind-baggy nonsense. But also, because I don’t have anything witty to say.
So, today we are going to focus all our attention on pasta! Again! Because, I’m fairly certain oodles of delicious noodles are much cooler than reading my non-witty words.
In honor of a quick and painless post, we are also going to keep todays dish super fast. As well as, fantastically flavorful. And, made in just ONE POT.
Because, we are going to punch manic Monday right in the metaphorical face and WIN at life… or at least at dinner.
One Pot Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta with Basil & Peas
Also known as: easy-PEAsy pasta! See what I just did there?
Tender, succulent slices of chicken and silky strands of al-dente linguine tossed in a rich, creamy sauce with notes of lemon, pops of herbaceous basil and a generous sprinkling of vibrant sweet peas. This creamy pasta is kind of like chicken alfredo meets spring all in one pot.
It’s ludicrously creamy. It’s outrageously dreamy. But, it’s also lightened up since we are using half-and-half mixed with broth, instead of just straight heavy cream.
Oh, and did I already mention all this heavenly, healthier deliciousness happens in just one pot? JUST.ONE.POT!
And, if all that jazz wasn’t enough to make your skirt fly up, this pasta can be ready, from prep to finish, in 30 minutes or less!
Basically, this pasta is insane. And you absolutely need to get this in your life. PRONTO.
What is one pot pasta?
One pot pasta literally means, well, one pot pasta! 😉
There are a ton of variations to one pot, or one pan pasta, but they all share the same trait – cooking the pasta happens right IN the sauce. Meaning, no more boiling water and cooking pasta in one pot and making the sauce in another.
In a nutshell, one pot pasta is a genius, time (and effort) saving pasta cooking method and helps you get dinner on the table in a fraction of the time, and with a fraction of the mess!
How to cook one pot lemon pasta at home?
First you are going melt a smidgen of butter in a large deep sided skillet, or Dutch oven. (I personally like to use my Le Creuset 3 ½ quart cast-iron braiser for this dish. This isn’t an ad, I’m just telling the truth.)
Add in the slices of chicken and generously season with salt and pepper. Cook the chicken until it is golden brown on all sides, but not cooked completely through. Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside. Don’t look at me sideways, you won’t be eating raw chicken! You will be adding the chicken back to the pot later. You are just browning the chicken right now for color. Because golden brown = DELICIOUS.
Add the shallots to the pot, followed by the garlic, and cook until softened and fragrant.
Add in the flour and cook, stirring, for a minute or so. You just want to cook out the raw flour taste.
Add in the chicken broth and half-and-half, whisking to combine.
Next, add back in the chicken, along with the pasta and a large sprig of basil.
Bring everything to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for about 8-10 minutes, or until the pasta is al-dente.
Remove the lid, toss in the peas with a bit of lemon zest and a few splashes of lemon juice. Let that cook for a minute, or until the peas are warmed through, and then stir in the parmesan and fresh chopped basil.
Taste the pasta and adjust everything for seasoning with salt and pepper.
Scatter a bit of crushed red pepper flakes on top if you’re feeling frisky.
And sprinkle on a handful of more parmesan cheese, because cheese is life.
Garnish with a few slices of lemon, because you’re fancy.
Then grab a shovel and INHALE.
Notes, Tips & Tricks for Easy Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta recipe:
- If you’re using frozen peas, make sure they are thawed. To quickly thaw frozen peas, simply place them in a colander and run them under cold water for a couple minutes.
- I highly recommend fresh grated parmesan for this (and any) recipe. That stuff in a green can not only tastes weird, but it also does not seamlessly melt into the pasta and become silky smooth like fresh grated parmesan does. Just make sure you use the smallest holes on your box grater for this.
- If you like your pasta with a little heat, add ½ – 1 teaspoon (or more!) of crushed red pepper flakes to the pan with the garlic.
- If you want a strong lemon flavor in this dish, use the zest and/or just of 2 lemons instead of one. Just a warning, the zest will yield a stronger lemon flavor than the juice.
- I strongly recommend you continue to season this dish with salt and pepper as you go. (i.e. season the chicken, then season the shallot, the half-and-half mixture, etc.) Pasta with creamy based sauces require a good amount of salt to really make all the flavors sing.
This easy One Pot Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta needs to grace your dinner table. It’s ridiculously delicious, absurdly easy, and I KNOW you’re going to LOVE it!
Until Thursday friends, cheers – to oodles of noodles all up in your face.
XOXO
Cheyanne
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More easy and delicious pasta recipes:
The best Creamy Lemon Pasta Recipe 👇
One Pot Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta with Basil and Peas
Equipment
- Large Straight-Sided Skillet or Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 1 Pound Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts sliced into 3/4-1'' wide strips
- 2 TBS Unsalted Butter divided
- 1 large Shallot finely diced
- 2 Cloves Garlic minced
- 1 TBS All Purpose Flour
- 2 Cups Chicken Broth
- 1 ½ Cups Half-and-Half
- 8 ounces Linguine broken in half
- 1 ¼ Cup Peas thawed if frozen*
- 1 bunch fresh Basil 1 large sprig left whole, the rest chiffonade (thinly sliced)
- 1 Lemon zest and juice
- ½ Cup Parmesan Cheese grated, plus more for serving
- Kosher Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper to taste
- Optional Garnishes: Lemon Slices, Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
Instructions
- Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a Dutch oven, or large straight sided skillet, over medium high heat. Add the chicken and season generously with salt and pepper. Cook until golden brown on all sides, but not cooked through, about 4-6 minutes total. Remove chicken to a plate.
- Add in the remaining tablespoon of butter. Once melted, add in the shallot and season with salt and pepper. Cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add in the garlic* and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add in the flour and cook, stirring, for another minute. Add in the chicken broth and half-and-half. Whisk to combine. Add back in the chicken along with the pasta and a large sprig of basil. Bring to a slow boil, stirring occasionally, then immediately reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente. Remove the sprig of basil and discard.
- Add in the peas, lemon juice and zest. Cook for an additional minute. Stir in the parmesan and chopped basil. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Garnish with crushed red pepper flakes, more parmesan cheese, and slices of lemon if using. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- If you're using frozen peas, make sure they are thawed. To quickly thaw frozen peas, simply place them in a colander and run them under cold water for a couple minutes.
- I highly recommend fresh grated parmesan for this (and any) recipe. That stuff in a green can not only tastes weird, but it also does not seamlessly melt into the pasta and become silky smooth like fresh grated parmesan does. Just make sure you use the smallest holes on your box grater for this.
- If you like your pasta with a little heat, add ½ - 1 teaspoon (or more!) of crushed red pepper flakes to the pan with the garlic.
- If you want a strong lemon flavor in this dish, use the zest and/or just of 2 lemons instead of one. Just a warning, the zest will yield a stronger lemon flavor than the juice.
- I strongly recommend you continue to lightly season this dish with salt and pepper as you go. (i.e. season the chicken, then season the shallot, the half-and-half mixture, etc.) Pasta with creamy based sauces require a good amount of salt to really make all the flavors sing.
Nutrition
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This was incredible. We followed the notes and added extra lemon and the red pepper flakes, because why not, and my husband, myself , and two kids were fighting to get the last bites. And it was so easy. Thanks for making dinner tonight a winner and a keeper!
Hi Bethany,
I’m absolutely thrilled you and your family enjoyed this pasta!! And, I’m so happy to hear you found the recipe easy to prepare! Thank you so much for coming back and letting me know how everything went over! Cheers! 🙂
Hey,
I’m going to make this tonight……with the shelter in place order here in California I’d like to avoid going to the market if possible. I don’t have basil. Substitute suggestions anyone?
Hi Margaret,
You can skip adding the sprig of fresh basil in step 2 of the recipe. Then, substitute 1/3 to 1/2 cup of fresh herbs such as parsley, chives, tarragon or mint (or a combination of a few). Just finely chop them before you add them to the pasta. Please note that tarragon and mint are stronger herbs than basil, parsley or chives, so you may want to scale back on the amount if you use those.
Also, if you don’t have access to any fresh herbs, you can use dried herbs (1 teaspoon dried herb = 1 tablespoon fresh herbs).
I hope you stay safe and healthy during this time! Cheers!
This recipe was really good. I actually used 2% milk which was fine but I had to reduce the liquid a little longer. Also I added some cream cheese to make it creamier. It was delicious. Thanks for sharing
Hi Heather,
I’m thrilled you enjoyed this recipe! And, I’m happy to hear 2% milk worked out well for you! I love your addition of cream cheese – that sounds absolutely delicious!!! Thank you so much for coming back and letting me know how everything went over!
Cheers and warm wishes for a wonderful New Year,
Cheyanne
Hi there!
I am very excited to make this! Can I replace some of the chicken broth with white wine?
I’ll look forward to hearing from you! Thanks!
Hi Kelly,
While I have only made this recipe as written, I see no reason why you can’t substitute a little white wine! That actually sounds delicious!!! I’ll have to try that next time I make this (so thank you for the suggestion!!)! Let me know if you have any questions! Cheers! 🙂
If you haven’t made this yet you’re wrong. We put it in { The Book } after the first go. Amazing flavors!!
How do I make this for 16 people?
Hi Kameron,
If you hover over (place your mouse over) the number of servings at the top of the recipe you can adjust the number of servings up or down, which will in turn adjust the ingredients needed to feed “x” amount of people.
I made this tonight. I did not use the peas but added sundried tomatoes instead. It was AMAZING!!! Thank you for this recipe!
Hi Ashley! Sundried tomatoes sound like an amazing substitution!! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the pasta! Thank you so much for coming back and letting me know how it went over! Cheers!
Hey Cheyanne! This was amazing, but as a fairly amateur cook, I’m not sure whether the sauce should have been thicker than mine was. When I checked it at ten minutes, the pasta was al dente. But the sauce was a little drippy as opposed to thick like an Alfredo. Should I have continued to cook to thicken it? Or is that the way it was supposed to be?
Hi Donna,
I’m glad you enjoyed this pasta, even though it was drippy, which it was not supposed to be. It should be a creamy sauce, similar to an homemade alfredo (not the stuff in a jar). There are a few things that could have gone wrong to cause the sauce to be thin:
-Did you add the correct amount of flour?
-Did you add too much broth or half-and half?
-Did the liquid come to a boil before reducing to a simmer?
-Was the sauce simmering when it was covered or was the heat too low?
All of these factors can attribute to a thin sauce. With that said, yes you could have continued to cook it a little longer, but not so long that the pasta is over-cooked. As well, the sauce should have thickened a bit as it stands. I hope some of these notes help for the next time!! I’m always here if you have more questions!
Oh! I almost forgot, there is a recipe video included in this post that shows the entire process of making this pasta and how it looks once completed. Hopefully that helps a little in clarifying everything for you. 🙂
All the best,
Cheyanne
Delicious! I cut the half and half and butter in half, and made it up with chicken stock, and did not think we sacrificed any creaminess. I’d hoped for leftovers for lunch but nope– family scarfed the whole thing.
Hi Camille,
I love your substitutions to cut some of the fat and calories! I’m thrilled you guys enjoyed this dish! Thank you so much for coming back and letting me know how it went over! Cheers!
I’ve tried this many times and it’s absolutely delicious!! Each time I followed the recipe exactly.
A question, can this be made with skim or 1% milk instead?
Hi Brendi,
First of all, I am so thrilled you enjoy this pasta as much as we do! As for your question, in all honesty, I’ve never tried to make this with anything other than half-and-half or full heavy cream. With that said, I would definitely stay away from skim milk, because you are going to end up with a thin, watery sauce. You can certainly try 1% milk if you would like! I’d assume your pasta will lack the same flavor and creamy texture as using half-and-half… but with that said, I always encourage people to make my recipes their own! Good luck and let me know how it goes if you try the substitution! Cheers and thank you so much for stopping by!
I’m going to try tonight and will let you know how it goes with 1% 🙂
Fantastic!! Sending you all the happy kitchen vibes!
I am a diabetic and I use canned evaporated skim milk, which has a thick consistency of cream and works great! Just thought I would offer that up!
This has totally left me drooling Cheyanne. I’m pretty much in love with anything lemon, and adding cream to it? I’m totally sold. And only dirtying one pot is awesome, especially since my dishwasher is away on business for the next month! Awesome recipe!