Description
A quick and creamy lemon chicken pasta recipe that combines tender chicken, fettuccine, and a zesty lemon sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 ounces fettuccine pasta
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Cook the fettuccine pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces, season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using), and cook until browned and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add the minced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a simmer, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
- Stir in the heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Let the sauce simmer for 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Return the cooked chicken to the skillet, along with the drained pasta. Toss everything together, adding reserved pasta water as needed to reach desired consistency.
- Remove from heat and stir in the chopped parsley. Serve immediately, garnished with additional Parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
- For a lighter version, substitute half-and-half for heavy cream and use whole wheat pasta.
- Add steamed broccoli or spinach for extra vegetables and nutrition.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 100mg