Description
A delightful and creamy Lemon Garlic Butter Chicken paired with rich Parmesan pasta. Tender chicken breast is sautéed in a zesty lemon garlic butter sauce and served atop linguine tossed in a creamy Parmesan sauce, making a perfect comforting yet elegant meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasoning
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 3 tbsp butter, divided
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Pasta and Sauce
- 8 oz linguine pasta
- 2 tbsp butter
- 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add linguine pasta and cook until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and set aside.
- Season Chicken: In a bowl, season the diced chicken breast with salt, pepper, paprika, and Italian seasoning evenly to ensure full flavor.
- Cook Chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned chicken and sauté until it is golden brown and completely cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Sauté Garlic and Lemon: In the same skillet, add minced garlic, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Sauté briefly until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Return the cooked chicken to the skillet and toss to coat thoroughly in the lemon garlic butter sauce.
- Prepare Parmesan Sauce: In a separate saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Stir in the heavy cream and gradually whisk in the grated Parmesan cheese and garlic powder until the sauce is smooth and creamy.
- Toss Pasta in Sauce: Add the cooked linguine to the Parmesan sauce and toss well to coat. Use the reserved pasta water, adding a little at a time, to loosen the sauce to your desired consistency.
- Plate and Serve: Serve the creamy Parmesan pasta on plates and top with the lemon garlic butter chicken. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley before serving.
Notes
- Reserve some pasta water to adjust the sauce consistency as needed.
- Use fresh lemon zest and juice for the best citrus flavor in the sauce.
- You can substitute the heavy cream with half-and-half for a lighter option, but the sauce will be less rich.
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese is recommended over pre-grated for better flavor and texture.
- Adjust seasoning per taste, especially salt and pepper.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Keywords: lemon garlic chicken, creamy parmesan pasta, chicken dinner, easy pasta recipe, one skillet chicken
