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Lemon Butter Garlic Chicken Pasta

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Lemon Butter Garlic Chicken Pasta — Buttery pasta with juicy chicken, flavored with lemon butter and garlic, and finished with Parmesan cheese!! A family-friendly dinner recipe that’s ready in 20 minutes and it’s so EASY!

Lemon Butter Garlic Chicken Pasta - Buttery pasta with juicy chicken, flavored with lemon butter and garlic, and finished with Parmesan cheese!! A family-friendly dinner recipe that’s ready in 20 minutes and it’s so EASY!!

Easiest Chicken Pasta Dish

This family-friendly comfort food recipe is easy, ready in no time, and the penne pasta is perfectly al dente and wonderfully buttery.

The chicken is tender, juicy, and has so much flavor from the garlic and fresh parsley.  Lemon adds a wonderful brightness to the dish and we all know anything tossed in butter, especially lemony butter, automatically tastes great.

I finished the lemon garlic chicken pasta recipe with a handful of freshly shaved Parmesan cheese because obviously there wasn’t enough fat going on after the lemon butter. Kidding.

This recipe is the chicken spinoff to my Lemon Butter Garlic Shrimp with Angel Hair Pasta, which has been a reader favorite since 2014.

Lemon Butter Garlic Chicken Pasta - Buttery pasta with juicy chicken, flavored with lemon butter and garlic, and finished with Parmesan cheese!! A family-friendly dinner recipe that’s ready in 20 minutes and it’s so EASY!!

What’s in Lemon Butter Chicken Pasta?

To make this lemon garlic chicken pasta, you only need a handful of common fridge and pantry ingredients, including:

  • Penne pasta (or another small-shaped pasta like bowtie, ziti, or small shells)
  • Olive oil
  • Chicken
  • Garlic
  • Lemon juice
  • Unsalted butter
  • Salt and pepper
  • Parsley
  • Parmesan cheese
Lemon Butter Garlic Chicken Pasta - Buttery pasta with juicy chicken, flavored with lemon butter and garlic, and finished with Parmesan cheese!! A family-friendly dinner recipe that’s ready in 20 minutes and it’s so EASY!!

Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.

How to Make Lemon Chicken Pasta

  1. Cook the pasta according to package instructions.
  2. Meanwhile, add the olive oil and chicken to a skillet, and sauté until the chicken is about halfway cooked through.
  3. Add the garlic, butter, lemon juice, and allow the chicken to finish cooking through in what becomes a wonderfully fragrant garlic-infused lemon butter sauce.
  4. Toss the cooked pasta in, stir well, add fresh parsley, Parmesan, and voila, you’ve got yourself an easy and hearty meal.
Lemon Butter Garlic Chicken Pasta - Buttery pasta with juicy chicken, flavored with lemon butter and garlic, and finished with Parmesan cheese!! A family-friendly dinner recipe that’s ready in 20 minutes and it’s so EASY!!

Tips for Making This Chicken and Pasta Recipe 

I kept this recipe super simple, but you’re welcome to add your choice of veggies to it. Spinach would wilt down beautifully at the very end of the cooking time, or you can add finely diced zucchini, broccoli, or green beans near the beginning. 

Cook the pasta just until al dente, otherwise it’ll be too mushy and won’t hold its own next to the chicken. 

Lemon Butter Garlic Chicken Pasta — Buttery pasta with juicy chicken, flavored with lemon butter and garlic, and finished with Parmesan cheese!! A family-friendly dinner recipe that’s ready in 20 minutes and it’s so EASY!!

Storing The Best Lemon Butter Garlic Chicken Pasta Recipe

This chicken pasta recipe keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days if stored in an airtight container or in the freezer for up to 4 months. 

However, because it makes a big batch, it’s nice to be able to freeze the leftovers for future days when you may need a grab-and-go lunch or dinner.

Lemon Butter Garlic Chicken Pasta — Buttery pasta with juicy chicken, flavored with lemon butter and garlic, and finished with Parmesan cheese!! A family-friendly dinner recipe that’s ready in 20 minutes and it’s so EASY!!

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4.42 from 112 votes

Lemon Butter Garlic Chicken Pasta

By Averie Sunshine
Lemon Butter Garlic Chicken Pasta – Buttery pasta with juicy chicken, flavored with lemon butter and garlic, and finished with Parmesan cheese!! A family-friendly dinner recipe that’s ready in 20 minutes and it’s so EASY!!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 8
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Ingredients  

  • 1 pound penne pasta, cooked according to package directions (another small-shaped pasta such as ziti, rotini, small elbow, etc. may be substituted)
  • 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, diced into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 + teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
  • 1 + teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
  • 3 to 5 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temp if possible
  • cup lemon juice, or to taste
  • ¼ to ⅓ cup fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley, finely minced
  • ½ cup freshly shaved Parmesan cheese, or to taste

Instructions 

  • Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, and set aside. While pasta is cooking, being cooking the chicken.
  • To a large, high-sided skillet, add the olive oil, chicken, evenly and generously season with salt and pepper to taste, and cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, flipping and stirring frequently so the chicken cooks evenly.
  • When chicken has cooked through about halfway, add the garlic, and cook for about 1 minute or until fragrant, stir nearly consistently.
  • Add the butter, lemon juice, and stir nearly continuously until butter melts and chicken is cooked through, another 5 minutes, or as necessary.
  • Add the cooked pasta to the skillet with the chicken and stir well to combine and coat evenly.
  • Add the parsley and stir to combine.
  • Evenly sprinkle the Parmesan and stir to combine if desired (or keep it on top without stirring it in as shown in my photos). Taste and check for seasoning balance and if necessary add more salt and/or pepper before serving.

Notes

Recipe will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months. It makes a big batch and it's great to freeze some of the leftovers. Thaw and reheat gently in the microwave as needed.

Nutrition

Serving: 1, Calories: 410kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Protein: 41g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 132mg, Sodium: 466mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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About the Author

Welcome to AverieCooks! Here you’ll find fast and easy recipes that taste amazing and are geared for real life. Nothing fussy or complicated, just awesome tasting dishes everyone loves!

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Please note: I have only made the recipe as written, and cannot give advice or predict what will happen if you change something. If you have a question regarding changing, altering, or making substitutions to the recipe, please check out the FAQ page for more info.

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I actually just made this for breakfast!
    Downsized the recipe since this was for a party of one.

    I did not have any lemon, so I added a splash of orange/tangerine juice instead.
    Also took your advice and added the green beans.

    Turned out very tasty, and much healthier than a pop tart breakfast.

  2. 5 stars
    I actually just made this for breakfast!
    Downsized the recipe since this was for a party of one.

    I did not have any lemon, so I added a splash of orange/tangerine juice instead.
    Also took your advice and added the green beans.

    Turned out very tasty, and much healthier than a pop tart breakfast.

    1. Thanks for the 5 star review and glad that you were able to tweak this for your needs – and for breakfast, no less! That’s impressive!

  3. 5 stars
    I’ve made this numerous times since finding the recipe and I’m making it again tonight!  My family loves it, my 16 year old son even said it’s his favorite meal so it’s a winner for sure 😄 

  4. 5 stars
    I’ve made this numerous times since finding the recipe and I’m making it again tonight!  My family loves it, my 16 year old son even said it’s his favorite meal so it’s a winner for sure 😄 

    1. Thank you for the 5 star review and glad that this is a new favorite and your 16 yr old said it’s his favorite meal!

  5. 5 stars
    This was great I used this as a base recipe to make shredded chicken and used it with rice casserole it was amazing. I will make this a staple chicken recipe!!

  6. 5 stars
    This was great I used this as a base recipe to make shredded chicken and used it with rice casserole it was amazing. I will make this a staple chicken recipe!!

  7. 4 stars
    Love well balanced meals rhat are quick and easy, andnyoy don’t have to go to the store for special ingredients.

  8. 5 stars
    This was soooooo delish! So easy to put together and really fast! Hubby and son gobbled it up in no time! Thank you another scrumptious recipe, Averie! Five stars!