This Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta is a restaurant-quality, 30-minute recipe you’ll make over and over. The combination of crispy chicken over a lemon cream alfredo pasta always gets rave reviews. Watch the video tutorial and see how easy it is to make this easy weeknight dinner!
We love easy chicken pasta recipes like Chicken Tetrazzini and Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta. This Lemon Chicken Pasta recipe is the most requested chicken dinner at our house. P.S. Both the chicken and pasta reheat really well, which is perfect for meal prep.
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Lemon Chicken Pasta
I can’t count how many times I’ve gone into a restaurant telling myself I’ll just order salad until I find creamy chicken pasta on the menu and all self-restraint goes out the window. Being a major fan of creamy pasta, this one does not disappoint!
We took our classic creamy alfredo sauce from our Shrimp Pasta, and replaced the white wine with fresh lemon juice. The lemon juice lightens up the sauce and makes it vibrant. It goes so well with the crispy lemon chicken.
My 9-year-old son developed this lemon chicken several years ago while experimenting with Popcorn Chicken. It’s a simple 3-step process that results in a crisp and juicy chicken. You can use chicken breast cutlets or chicken tenders.
Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta Video
It’s difficult to watch this video tutorial when you’re hungry. There’s something about that crisp, juicy chicken and supremely creamy pasta that makes my mouth water. Make this lemon chicken pasta once and you’ll make it over and over.
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Ingredients
This is essentially a creamy Alfredo sauce that is lightened up with lemon juice. The fresh lemon adds a vibrant tanginess to the sauce and is a game-changer for Alfredo. We then proceed to squeeze fresh lemon juice over the chicken and the two marry beautifully. I’m hungry just writing about it.
- Butter – helps keep the sauce from separating and adds richness to the sauce.
- Fresh garlic and onion powder – add amazing flavor
- Lemon Juice lightens up the cream sauce and be sure to use fresh lemon juice for best results. You’ll need more to squeeze over the chicken.
- Heavy whipping cream – luxuriously smooth
- Shredded parmesan cheese or freshly grated
- Sea Salt – always taste the finished sauce and season with salt to taste
- Pasta – we use Fettuccini noodles because the sauce coats them so well and they have a terrific bite to them when cooked to Al’dente.
How to Make Lemon Chicken Pasta
This recipe is 2 parts: Creamy Pasta and Crispy Chicken. If you start prepping the chicken while your pasta cooks, this can be a 30-minute meal.
- Boil Water – fill a pot with water and bring to a boil, then generously salt the water (it should taste like ocean water), and cook the pasta according to the package instructions.
- Dip chicken cutlets into egg wash (egg+milk)
- Coat chicken in bread crumb mixture (panko bread crumbs + salt + pepper)
- Sautee in a large skillet and squeeze lemon juice over cooked chicken
The Secret to Perfect Alfredo Sauce
Had you ever made a grainy, curdled, or lumpy alfredo sauce? This lemon alfredo sauce is so simple to make but removing it from the heat after adding the cheese is KEY. As with any Alfredo sauce, If you continue boiling after adding parmesan, the sauce can curdle and become gritty.
Also, the secret to making a LEMON cream sauce is to whisk constantly while adding the lemon juice so the cream doesn’t separate.
Make-Ahead
In the rare situation that you end up with leftover lemon chicken pasta, you’ll be happy to know there are several effective ways to reheat a creamy pasta:
- On the Stove: Place in a saucepan over medium-low heat and warm the pasta slowly, stirring frequently and adding more milk as needed to thin the sauce. Remove from heat once warmed through.
- In the Microwave: You can microwave a bowl of pasta for 45-60 seconds, stirring every 15 seconds.
- Re-Crisp the Chicken on a skillet or in the air fryer or toaster oven until crisp and heated through.
Pro Tip: When reheating creamy pasta, always add a splash of milk (or reserved pasta cooking water), to loosen the cream since it will thicken as it cools. The trick is to heat low and slow and just until warmed through. If you overheat it, the cream will separate and turn buttery.
Lemon chicken pasta is well-loved by everyone in our family. The combination of creamy lemon alfredo pasta topped with crispy-juicy chicken is really irresistibly good. Don’t forget that squeeze of fresh lemon juice over the top. You could even add some lemon zest for another punch of flavor!
More Easy Pasta Recipes
These chicken pasta recipes are some of the most popular recipes on our site. They are easy, flavorful and so satisfying.
- Chicken and Mushroom Fettuccini Alfredo
- Baked Ziti (a pasta casserole)
- Lasagna Roll-Ups
- Chicken Pesto Pasta
- Pasta Primavera
- Penne Alla Vodka
Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
Chicken Pasta Ingredients:
- 12 oz fettuccini pasta , or spaghetti
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, (2 medium) cut in half lengthwise
- 1 egg
- 1 Tbsp milk
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1/2 tsp salt, plus more to salt the water
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
Lemon Cream Sauce
- 4 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, from 1 large lemon, divided
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup parmesan cheese
- 1 Tbsp parsley, optional garnish
Instructions
Cook Pasta:
- Bring a large pot of water to boil, add 1 heaping Tbsp salt and pasta. Cook until al-dente according to package instructions or to your desired doneness. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water then drain and lightly rinse (rinsing will keep the sauce creamier)
Make Lemon Chicken:
- While pasta is cooking, set up 2 bowls. In first bowl, beat together 1 egg and 1 Tbsp milk. In second bowl, combine 1 cup bread crumbs, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper. Dip each chicken cutlet in egg wash, letting excess drip back into the bowl, then dip in bread crumbs, turning to coat.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 Tbsp oil, or enough to lightly cover the bottom of the pan and sautee breaded chicken in a single layer for 3-4 minutes per side or until cooked through with an internal temperature of 165˚F. Transfer to cutting board to cool slightly, squeeze half of the lemon juice over the top then cut into strips.
Make Lemon Alfredo Sauce:
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat. Melt 2 Tbsp butter then add 2 minced garlic cloves and 1/4 tsp onion powder. Sautee 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add 2 cups heavy cream and 1/2 tsp salt. Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low and while whisking constantly, gradually pour in 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, whisking to incorporate.
- Sprinkle the top with 1/3 cup parmesan cheese and remove from heat, whisking until cheese is melted and incorporated. Season to taste with salt (I added a pinch of salt).
- Pour sauce over rinsed, drained pasta and toss to coat noodles. Add reserved pasta cooking water to thin the sauce if desired. Garnish with parsley and serve with strips of chicken over warm bowls filled with pasta.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
How many people would this serve? I have three boys and trying to figure out if I need to double the recipe
Hi Ashley, The serving size can be found at the beginning of the print-friendly recipe card (located at the bottom of the recipe post). The nutrition label shows counts “per serving.” Hope that helps!
Yummy! I too had trouble getting my sauce as thick as yours. Maybe the brand of heavy cream has something to do with it. I didn’t look at the fat content but I will next time I buy it. I just added more parm and it was fine. I normally don’t care for Alfredo sauce but this is delicious! This will be going in my recipe box because the family approved as well.
I’m happy to hear that you loved the results!
Hello Natasha, Made this the other night and it was excellent! It tasted even better the next day when the ingredients had more of a chance to merge. As for cooking the chicken, I can do this in an Air Fryer, right?
Thanks for your videos, you always put a smile on my face!!!
Happy Xmas to you & yours!
That’s wonderful, Roger! I’m so glad you loved this recipe. Some of my readers have reported good results making this in the air fryer but I have not tested it myself.
Question re: whipping cream.
Here in Canada there is only one liquid product labelled whipping cream and it has a 35% fat content. Is this what you are referencing in your recipes when you list heavy whipping cream? i.e. Lemon Chicken Pasta
Hi Val! Yes, that will work perfectly fine. Here in the US, heavy whipping cream is about 36% or great, and whipping cream is between 30-36%. The higher percent, the thicker the sauce. I hope that helps.
I got Picky eaters and this was a huge hit, the chicken is amazing. thank you
So glad to hear that! 🙂
This recipe is delicious and easy!! Made it tonight and can’t wait to make it again. Kids and adults all loved it.
THat’s great! Thanks for sharing that with us.
Hi Natasha…we absolutely love this recipe and it’s a hit every time we make in our house. We are planning to make this for our trip to the mountains with friends. Can we make this in advance and refrigerate and heat it in oven? Would it become dry?
Hi Siri! We usually eat this fresh but it will reheat ok. The breading on the chicken may be a little soggy. I haven’t tried to reheat it in the oven but I think it will be fine.
Very nice write-up. I definitely appreciate this site. Thanks!
Love your recipes and can’t wait to try this one! All I could find was a 2 breast pack of chicken weighing 1.5 lbs. Should I change the amount of egg wash or breadcrumbs? Thank you!!!
Hi Jennifer, you can use the recipe slider to adjust the recipe to 1.5 lbs of chicken to see what adjustments you can make to the meat. In this case, I would use 1.5 eggs and about 1/2 cup more bread crumbs. I would check the seasoning also. I hope you love this recipe!
There are 4 widows, including me, who live on one street and once a month I cook for them. I made this dish about a month ago, and they have begged me to make it again. It is one of the most delicious meals we all have ever tasted. Just about to start on making it a second time!!!!!!
That is wonderful, Joan! So glad you enjoy this recipe. Thank you for the excellent review.
I love your story! What a lucky group of ladies!! ❤️
It can be a real joy to cook for others!
Do you recommend anything else to use in place of the cream? Lactose intolerant in my household. Love your recipes.
Hi Barbara, I have not tested any alternatives. I would imagine some of the dairy-free alternatives would not thicken the cream. You’d have to experiment. Please let us know if you try.
That’s a comment I was looking for. My poor husband. 🙁 This looks SO GOOD. <3
I’ve used Tofutti cream cheese as a sub for cream. I’ve not made this recipe yet, but that’s what I would do. My daughter is LI, and I’ve had success with it as a base for several other recipes. Just an idea.
Hi Barbara,
Just read your comment and wanted to add that although cream and heavy cream isn’t lactose free, it does contain a very minimal amount. So it would depend on your households sensitivity level to it. Silk brand now makes a lactose free heavy cream. There are also dairy-free versions but won’t get the thickness with it. Hopefully you can find a lactose free cream near you, or order it ahead online ahead of time! Hope this helps. I only recently learned about lactose free due to my daughters intolerance:)
Hi Natasha,
This dish is one of my favorites however I follow your directions exactly and my sauce turns out watery every single time. Do you know what I’m doing wrong? Thank you for all your time and wonderful recipes!
Hi Cami, did you ensure to use Heavy Whipping cream? Not just regular whipping cream? Heavy whipping cream has a higher fat content allowing it to thicken more, so that may be the culprit.
Yup! I used 100% organic heavy whipping cream 🙁 this may be a stupid question but do you dry off your noodles after you rinse them?
Hello Cami, I had similar results so I just added more cheese to thicken the sauce and it worked.
Hi, I made this for dinner tonight. WOW it was so good, restaurant quality! Definitely a keeper. I was hesitant about rinsing the pasta with warm water but followed the recipe exactly as written and it was the creamiest sauce I’ve ever made. Thank you Natasha. Praying for the people of Ukraine💙💛
Thanks for the fantastic review, Edie! I am so glad you loved it.
Absolutely loved this recipe! Highly recommend trying! The lemon for me just elevates the dish to the next level. New favorite recipe!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Melissa!
Thank you, again, for user-friendly recipes that are not only tasty, but also full of wholesome ingredients. I can always count on your recipes to be crowd-pleasers, reasonable on the budget and authentic. This is definitely one for the books. You’re awesome-sauce, Natasha!
Thank you, Laura! I am so happy to hear that. I appreciate the support and thank you for the excellent review. I am happy to be able to provide you with these recipes and will continue to put my best forward.
I’m a horrible “cook,” but this recipe was not only easy, it made me feel like a chef! I cannot brag enough to my friends about this recipe (and Natasha’s Kitchen). The flavor is amazing. I look forward to making this again. A++
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Lisa!
made this more than once. tonight i did it with shrimp and broccoli. natasha, i love your taste in food <3
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Ashley!
Just happened to have everything in my fridge/pantry when I came across this recipe. This is easy to make and ABSOLUTLY delicious! If you love lemon like I do…Layer the lemon flavors exactly how Natasha says!
I love when that happens, Teri! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
So delicious 😊🙌 this is now one of my husband and I’s favorite meals 🙂 it was very easy to make too and quick 😊🙌 perfect weeknight dinner or even to make for a big family gathering 🙂 thank you so much for sharing your delicious recipes for free 😊🙏 everything I have made from Natashas kitchen has been fantastic 😆
Lovely to hear that, I hope you and your family will love all the other recipes that you will try. Thank you so much for the review.
My picky son even comment me on this… He will always say “not too bad” if I asked how he liked it. After making this I got a “this is great” Made this Momma smile.. Thank you
That is the best when kids love what we moms make. That’s so great!