Quick and Easy Lemon Chicken Pasta (2021)

With our scrumptious lemon chicken pasta recipe, you get a comforting, nourishing, and elegant meal that your whole family will love. In this post, we’ll walk you through this simple, easy recipe from start to finish, including:

• What ingredients you’ll need
• The cooking process from beginning to end
• Pro tips for plating and presentation

Ready to get started? Let’s cook!

Prepare Your Ingredients

Every experienced chef starts their time in the kitchen by taking stock of what they need. That means gathering all of the necessary ingredients, tools, and utensils required to make a meal before you start cooking. If you use JOW, you’ll already know you have the perfect amount of every ingredient that’s required because we optimize your grocery lists for you. 

Here’s everything you need to make this delectable lemon chicken pasta.

Spaghetti

The recipe calls for 100 grams of spaghetti. However, if you prefer, feel free to use another type of pasta, especially another long, thin noodle. Fettuccine and linguine are two great alternatives that fit in perfectly with the other ingredients in this recipe.

Chicken Breast

You’ll need one full chicken breast to make our lemon chicken pasta, and that chicken plays a vital role in the recipe. The meat adds protein to the meal, but it’s also a source of savory flavor. 

Heavy Cream

You only need a little bit of heavy cream to make this recipe, but that little bit goes a long way. You’ll be mixing it with your spinach and spices to create a delightful batch of wilted greens that adds color and richness to the meal. 

Spinach

Speaking of wilted greens… this recipe calls for spinach. A great source of protein, spinach is one of the most versatile vegetables nature has to offer. You only need a handful to make this pasta. 

Grated Parmesan and Lemon To Garnish

A tablespoon of grated parmesan cheese will suffice for this recipe. You’ll use it to garnish each plate and add extra flavor to the meal. In addition, the recipe calls for half a lemon, which you’ll zest to flavor the chicken, then squeeze over each plate for extra acidity.

That’s all the ingredients you need. Here are the tools to keep handy for making this dish:

• Two frying pans
• A large pot
• A stirring spoon
• A strainer
• A lemon zester (or a knife)
• A sharp knife and two cutting boards – one for chicken, one for other ingredients

Cooking the Meal Step by Step

Now that you know what ingredients to use to make this recipe, let’s get cooking. Below are the steps to follow to make the yummiest lemon chicken pasta ever.

Step 1: Cook Your Noodles

Follow the instructions on the box of pasta to cook your noodles in boiling water. Adding a generous amount of salt to the pot of water can help the flavor of the pasta really pop. 

Step 2: Prepare the Chicken

While your pasta cooks, cut the chicken into small strips, taking care to keep the raw poultry separate from your other ingredients. 

Put the strips in a pan on medium-to-high heat, using butter or cooking oil to keep the meat from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Using a knife or a zester, add lemon zest to the chicken as it cooks, stirring often to evenly disperse the zest.

Step 3: Cook Your Spinach

Next, it’s time to use your second frying pan to combine your handful of spinach with heavy cream, salt, and pepper. Cook this mixture on low heat, letting the cream mix with the spinach as the greens wilt. A dash of salt and pepper is all you need to spice things up.

Step 4: Mix It All Together

Finally, it’s time to strain your pasta and combine it with the chicken and spinach – then you’re all ready to serve the meal. 

Tips for Plating and Presentation

Even with a recipe as simple as this, your presentation can make a big difference in how the meal is perceived. When you go the extra mile to make each plate of food look great, the lucky eaters will have an unforgettable dining experience.

Here are some tips for making this meal look its best:

• Add a dusting of salt, pepper, and parmesan to the top of each plate.
• Evenly disperse your ingredients, spreading the spinach, chicken, and noodles around the plate instead of clumping them together in corners.
• Add a lemon wedge to each plate as a garnish – and for adding extra flavor.

Want More Cooking Tips and Recipes?

If you’re an aspiring chef looking for inspiration, make sure to head over to our cooking page. There, you’ll find plenty more delicious recipes and ideas to try.