Lemon Garlic Chicken Pasta
A delightful pasta dish featuring tender chicken, a creamy lemon garlic sauce, and fresh spinach. This recipe is quick, easy, and perfect for a weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Pasta
- 8 oz linguine or fettuccine pasta
Chicken
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into bite-sized pieces)
Sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3-4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 cup fresh spinach (roughly chopped)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 0.5 cup grated Parmesan cheese (plus extra for garnish)
- 1 large lemon (Juice and zest of (about 3 tbsp juice and 1 tsp zest))
- to taste Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Garnish
- Lemon slices (for garnish)
- Fresh parsley or basil (chopped, for garnish)
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water.
- Sauté chicken with salt and pepper until golden and cooked through. Set aside.
- Sauté minced garlic until fragrant (about 1 minute).
- Add heavy cream, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Simmer gently for 2-3 minutes.
- Add Parmesan cheese and stir until smooth. Add spinach and cook until wilted.
- Return chicken and pasta to skillet. Toss with sauce, adding pasta water if needed.
- Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with lemon slices, Parmesan, and parsley/basil.
Notes
For a lighter sauce, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream.
Nutrition
Calories: 550kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 25g | Sodium: 300mg