Here’s a full, flavorful recipe for Lemon Garlic Butter Chicken with Creamy Parmesan Pasta—rich, zesty, and restaurant-style at home
Ingredients (Serves 2–3)
Chicken
- 2–3 chicken breasts (pounded to even thickness)
- Salt & pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- Juice of 1 lemon
- ½ tsp Italian seasoning
Pasta
- 250g (8–9 oz) pasta (linguine or fettuccine)
- 2 tbsp butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup reserved pasta water
- Salt & pepper to taste
Optional: fresh parsley for garnish, spinach or mushrooms for extra veggies
Instructions
1. Cook the Pasta
- Boil pasta in salted water until al dente
- Reserve ¼ cup pasta water and drain
2. Cook the Chicken
- Season chicken with salt, pepper, and paprika
- Heat butter + olive oil in a skillet over medium-high
- Cook chicken 4–5 minutes per side until golden and fully cooked
- Remove from pan and set aside
3. Make the Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce
- In the same pan, sauté garlic until fragrant (~30 sec)
- Add lemon juice and Italian seasoning
- Let simmer 1–2 minutes
- Return chicken to pan and coat in sauce
4. Make the Creamy Parmesan Pasta
- Melt butter in a separate pan and sauté garlic
- Add cream, simmer gently
- Stir in Parmesan until smooth
- Add pasta and a splash of reserved pasta water for silky texture
- Season with salt & pepper
5. Serve
- Plate pasta and top with chicken
- Spoon extra lemon garlic butter sauce over chicken
- Garnish with parsley or additional Parmesan
Pro Tips
- Pound chicken to even thickness for even cooking
- Don’t overheat the cream—it can curdle
- Freshly grated Parmesan gives a smoother, richer sauce
- Lemon zest adds extra brightness
Variations
- Spicy: Add red pepper flakes
- Creamier: Increase cream or add cream cheese
- Seafood swap: Use shrimp instead of chicken
- Low-carb: Serve over zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash