Lemon Garlic Butter Chicken with Creamy Parmesan Pasta is a rich, zesty, restaurant-style dish—juicy chicken in a buttery lemon sauce paired with silky, cheesy pasta.
Ingredients
Chicken
- 2 chicken breasts (halved or pounded thin)
- Salt & black pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- Juice of 1 lemon
- ½ tsp Italian seasoning
Creamy Parmesan Pasta
- 250–300g pasta (linguine or fettuccine)
- 2 tbsp butter
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt & pepper to taste
- ½ cup pasta water (reserved)
Optional: spinach, mushrooms, chili flakes
Instructions
1. Cook the pasta
- Boil pasta in salted water until al dente
- Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain
2. Cook the chicken
- Season chicken with salt, pepper, paprika
- Heat oil + butter in a pan
- Cook chicken 4–5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through
- Remove and set aside
3. Make lemon garlic butter sauce
- In the same pan, add garlic and cook briefly
- Add lemon juice and Italian seasoning
- Let simmer 1–2 minutes
- Return chicken and coat in the sauce
4. Make the creamy pasta
- In another pan, melt butter and sauté garlic
- Add cream and simmer gently
- Stir in Parmesan until smooth
- Add pasta and a splash of pasta water for a silky texture
5. Combine & serve
- Plate creamy pasta
- Top with lemon garlic chicken
- Spoon extra sauce over the top
Pro Tips
- Pound chicken evenly so it cooks perfectly
- Don’t boil the cream—keep it on low heat
- Use fresh Parmesan for best texture
- Add lemon zest for extra brightness
Serving Ideas
- Garlic bread
- Roasted broccoli or asparagus
- Fresh salad
Variations
- Spicy: Add chili flakes
- Extra creamy: Add a bit of cream to the chicken sauce
- Seafood swap: Use shrimp instead of chicken
- Lighter version: Use half-and-half instead of heavy cream