Absolutely! This dish is a restaurant-quality meal that combines juicy, flavorful chicken with a luxurious, creamy pasta. It’s perfect for a special weeknight dinner or impressing guests.
Here’s a detailed recipe to guide you through it.
Lemon Garlic Butter Chicken with Creamy Parmesan Pasta
This recipe features pan-seared chicken breasts in a rich lemon-garlic butter sauce, served over a bed of pasta tossed in a creamy Parmesan sauce.
Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
· 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs), pounded to even thickness
· 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
· Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
· 2 tablespoons olive oil
· 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
· 4 cloves garlic, minced
· ½ cup chicken broth (or dry white wine for more flavor)
· ¼ cup heavy cream
· 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
· 1 teaspoon lemon zest
· 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
For the Pasta:
· 8 oz fettuccine, tagliatelle, or your favorite pasta
· 1 tablespoon salt (for pasta water)
· ½ cup reserved pasta water
For the Creamy Parmesan Sauce (for the pasta):
· 1 tablespoon butter
· 1 clove garlic, minced
· 1 cup heavy cream
· 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
· Salt and pepper, to taste
· A pinch of nutmeg (optional, but highly recommended)
Instructions
Part 1: Cook the Pasta
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of salt.
- Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente.
- Crucial Step: Before draining, reserve about ½ cup of the starchy pasta water. This will help thicken your sauce later.
- Drain the pasta and set it aside.
Part 2: Cook the Chicken & Make its Sauce
- Prepare Chicken: Pat the chicken breasts dry and pound them to an even ½-inch thickness. This ensures even cooking. Season generously with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
- Sear Chicken: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil. Add the chicken and cook for 5-7 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through (internal temperature of 165°F). Remove the chicken from the skillet and set it aside on a plate. Tent with foil to keep warm.
- Make the Sauce: Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the 2 tablespoons of butter to the same skillet. Once melted, add the minced garlic and cook for about 60 seconds until fragrant.
- Deglaze: Pour in the chicken broth (or white wine), scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release all the flavorful browned bits. Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes to reduce slightly.
- Finish Sauce: Stir in the ¼ cup heavy cream, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Bring to a gentle simmer. Return the chicken to the skillet and spoon the sauce over it. Let it heat through for 1-2 minutes. Stir in half of the fresh parsley. Keep on low heat while you make the creamy pasta.
Part 3: Make the Creamy Parmesan Pasta
- In a separate large skillet or pot (big enough to hold the pasta), melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in the 1 cup of heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Do not boil.
- Gradually whisk in the grated Parmesan cheese until it melts and the sauce becomes smooth.
- Season the sauce with a pinch of nutmeg, salt, and pepper. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water to loosen it.
- Add the drained pasta to the creamy sauce and toss to coat thoroughly. Add more pasta water if needed to make the sauce silky and cling to the pasta.
Part 4: Serve
- Divide the creamy Parmesan pasta among plates.
- Place a lemon garlic butter chicken breast on top of or beside the pasta.
- Spoon the extra lemon-butter pan sauce from the chicken skillet over the chicken.
- Garnish with the remaining fresh parsley and an extra sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.
Tips for the Best Results
· Pound the Chicken: This is non-negotiable for juicy, evenly cooked chicken. Use a meat mallet, rolling pin, or even a heavy skillet.
· The Cheese is Key: Use a block of real Parmigiano-Reggiano and grate it yourself. Pre-grated cheese contains anti-caking agents that will make your sauce grainy and prevent it from melting smoothly.
· Don’t Boil the Cream: When adding the cream to any sauce, keep the heat at a gentle simmer. Boiling can cause the cream to separate or become oily.
· Rest the Chicken: Letting the chicken rest for a few minutes after cooking allows the juices to redistribute, making it incredibly tender.
· Deglazing: Don’t skip scraping the brown bits from the pan! This step (called “fond”) is packed with immense flavor.
· One-Pot Shortcut: For a quicker, one-pot version: After removing the cooked chicken, you can build the creamy Parmesan sauce directly in the same skillet. Then, add the cooked pasta and chicken back to the skillet to combine.
Enjoy your incredibly delicious and impressive homemade meal