Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta is a weeknight staple. Crispy, breaded-crusted chicken sits atop tender linguine and is tossed with a luscious lemon cream sauce and silky zucchini rings. The lemon flavor in the chicken and sauce really tightens up the whole dish. It’s a rich pasta dinner with cream and cheese, but the lemon gives it a lighter look. Just a few seconds please!
Plus, zucchini is always available, so you can make this dish any time of the year. (Use yellow squash for a summery look.)
Learn how to make this easy lemon chicken pasta and add it to your weeknight rotation. It’s sure to be a hit with everyone at the table.
lemon chicken pasta ingredients
The ingredient list for this pasta dinner is pretty simple, especially considering you’re making an entire dinner out of one dish. Here’s what you need:
- Linguine: The wide noodles coat the sauce well and go well with the crispy chicken. You can also use other pasta if you have it on hand. See below for details.
- All-purpose flour: Brushing the chicken cutlets with flour makes the egg wash easier and the breadcrumbs stick to the meat for the best crispy coating.
- Panko: This type of breadcrumb stays crispy and cooks beautifully in the skillet.
- Italian seasonings: Add to the breadcrumbs and season briefly with salt, pepper, and lemon zest.
- Salt and pepper: For seasoning breadcrumbs and chicken.
- lemon: This dish requires both the zest and the juice, so you’ll need a few lemons.
- egg: For washing eggs. This will help the breadcrumb mixture stick to the chicken cutlets.
- chicken: Getting the chicken breasts the right size is the key to cooking them quickly. If you don’t want to cut it in half lengthwise or want to speed up the preparation, you can use chicken breast cutlets or chicken breasts instead.
- Olive oil: Stir-fried zucchini and chicken.
- zucchini: Cut into rounds so that the thickness is even.
- Unsalted butter: This is the beginning of a rich cream sauce.
- Garlic and onion powder: These create the flavor of the cream sauce.
- Rich whipped cream: The hearty sauce adds richness and delicate sweetness, softened by lemon and cheese.
- Parmesan cheese: We love the nutty flavor of this cheese and it’s easy to find. In fact, I recommend grating it yourself rather than buying it already shredded or grated. These often contain anti-caking agents that prevent the cheese from melting beautifully.
- Parsley and lemon slices: For garnishing finished dishes.
How to make lemon chicken pasta
There are a few different steps to this dish, but it still comes together in just over 30 minutes. Here is an overview of the process. The full recipe is further down.
- Cook the pasta. Reserve some of the cooking liquid for later in the pasta sauce.
- Dredge the chicken. First, dust each piece with flour. Then dip it in the egg, then in the breadcrumb mixture. Once each piece is coated, it’s time to cook.
- Brown the zucchini. While the chicken is dredging, brown the zucchini slices in batches in the skillet.
- Cook the chicken. Once the zucchini is done, cook the chicken in batches. Each portion is finished when the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Make the pasta sauce. Melt the butter in the same pot you boiled the pasta. Fry garlic and onion powder. Next, add the whipped cream and the reserved pasta water. Boil until slightly thickened and reduce heat. Continue whisking as you add the lemon juice, followed by the Parmesan cheese. Simmer until the sauce thickens.
- add pasta to saucealong with zucchini and lemon zest.
- slice the chickenGarnish with some of the pasta and the parsley and lemon slices.
Tips for the best lemon chicken pasta
This easy lemon chicken pasta is packed with flavor and takes no time to cook, making it a family favorite in every bite. However, with these additional hints and ticks, southern living Test Kitchen, you’ll love this dish even more:
- Once cooked, keep the chicken warm in a 170°F oven on a sheet pan lined with an oven-safe wire rack.
- Adding acid (such as lemon juice) to dairy products can cause the dairy products to coagulate, resulting in curdled milk. The key to adding lemon juice to this cream sauce is to stir vigorously for a short time and then add the lemon juice over low heat.
- Remove from heat and add cheese, it will melt without stopping.
Variations and substitutions
Are you in a hurry? Rotisserie chicken can speed up weeknight meal prep. Adding lemon juice to the chicken will give it a lemony flavor.
If you don’t have linguine, spaghetti or fettuccine would also work well with this cream sauce.
Consider sauteing asparagus or broccoli florets in place of (or in addition to) the zucchini.
How to serve lemon chicken pasta
Pasta, vegetables, and meat are almost a complete meal, so you don’t need to add anything unless you want to. But if you’re making it for company or just want something a little more different, this lemon chicken pasta would be great paired with a simple green salad. You can also add roasted broccoli.
Anticipation tips
Elements of this dinner can be made up to 3 days in advance. Cook chicken, sauce, and pasta according to instructions. Wash the pasta in cold water and let it cool completely before storing. Once cooled, store the chicken and sauce separately. Slice the zucchini and store in an airtight container.
When ready to serve, bring a pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta and heat through. Reheat the chicken in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes, warm the sauce over low heat (or use the double broiler method), cook the zucchini, and add the pasta and sauce. Complete with cooked chicken and garnishes.
How to store lemon chicken pasta
Leftover lemon chicken pasta will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, but for best results, keep the pasta and chicken separate. This way, while you reheat the pasta, you can crisp up the chicken again in the oven or air fryer. If the pasta is too thick and won’t heat evenly, add a little cream or milk.
See more weeknight pasta dinners
Planning your menu for the rest of the week? These pasta dinners are always a hit: