Creamy, rich, and bursting with zippy lemon flavor, this Chicken and Lemon Pasta is made in just one pot with 9 ingredients and ready in 30 minutes. Featuring tender pieces of chicken breast with fresh basil and sweet peas in a creamy, lemon-scented white sauce, this simple recipe for pasta with chicken is fast, fabulous, and always a hit with even the pickiest of eaters!
Optional Garnishes:Lemon Slices, Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
Instructions
Cook Chicken: Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a Dutch oven, large straight-sided skillet, or large pot, over medium-high heat. Once the butter is melted, add the chicken and season generously with salt and pepper. Cook the chicken, stirring occasionally, until golden brown on all sides, but NOT cooked through, about 4-6 minutes total. Use a slotted spoon to remove the chicken to a plate and set the plate aside.(Note: The chicken will continue to cook in step 4 of the recipe. Do not overcook the chicken here!)
Sauté Aromatics, Then Add the Flour: Add in the remaining tablespoon of butter to the same pan. Once melted, add in the shallot and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add in the garlic (and crushed pepper flakes if using) and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Sprinkle the flour over the shallots and garlic. Cook, stirring constantly to cook out the raw flour taste, for another minute.
Add Chicken Broth, Then Cream: Slowly pour the chicken broth to the pot while whisking constantly Then, add the half-and-half and stir to combine.
Add Chicken, Pasta, and Basil: Add the chicken back to the pot, along with the dry pasta, and a large sprig of basil. Bring the contently to a slow boil, stirring occasionally.Once slowly boiling, immediately reduce the contents to a simmer.
Cover and Cook: Cover the pan and let the pasta cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the pasta is just al dente. Uncover the pan and use tongs to remove the sprig of basil and discard it.
Add in the Peas and Lemon, Followed by Parmesan and Basil: Stir the peas, lemon juice, and lemon zest into the pasta.Cook, stirring occasionally, for an additional minute. Add the parmesan and chopped basil to the pan and stir to combine. Taste the lemon chicken pasta and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.
Garnish and Serve Lemon Pasta and Chicken: Garnish the lemon chicken pasta with crushed red pepper flakes, more parmesan cheese, and slices of lemon if using. Serve immediately while warm and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Peas. 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.
Parmesan. 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.
Red Pepper Flakes. 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.
Lemon. 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.
Seasoning. 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.) Pastas with creamy based sauces require a good amount of salt to really make all the flavors sing.
Got questions? I've got answers! If you ever run into an issue, have a question, or need any clarification - please feel free to drop them in the comments section. I'm happy to help when I can!
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and the nutrition facts are an estimate based upon 4 servings. Exact information will depend upon the brands of ingredients and precise measurements used.