Perfect! That’s a classic comfort-food combo 🍋🧄🍝. Here’s a full, safe, step-by-step recipe for Lemon Garlic Butter Chicken with Creamy Parmesan Pasta:
Ingredients (Serves 4)
For the Chicken:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- Juice and zest of 1 lemon
- ½ cup chicken broth (or water if needed)
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme or Italian herbs
For the Creamy Parmesan Pasta:
- 8 oz (about 225g) fettuccine or spaghetti
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Optional: chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
1. Cook the Pasta
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente.
- Drain, reserving ½ cup pasta water, and set aside.
2. Cook the Chicken
- Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and paprika.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add chicken and cook 5–7 minutes per side until golden brown and fully cooked (internal temp 165°F / 75°C). Remove from skillet and set aside.
3. Make Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce
- In the same skillet, add butter and garlic. Sauté 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add lemon juice, lemon zest, chicken broth, and thyme. Stir and simmer for 2–3 minutes.
- Return chicken to skillet and coat with the sauce. Simmer 2 more minutes.
4. Make Creamy Parmesan Pasta
- In a separate pan, melt butter over medium heat and sauté garlic for 1 minute.
- Add heavy cream, bring to a gentle simmer.
- Stir in Parmesan cheese until melted and smooth.
- Toss in pasta, adding a bit of reserved pasta water if sauce is too thick. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Serve
- Plate pasta and top with chicken.
- Spoon extra lemon garlic butter sauce over chicken.
- Garnish with parsley if desired.
✨ Tips for extra flavor:
- Marinate chicken in a little lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic for 30 minutes before cooking.
- Add spinach or sun-dried tomatoes to pasta for color and flavor.
If you want, I can also make a one-pan version where the pasta cooks in the same skillet as the chicken — it’s faster and super creamy without extra dishes. Do you want me to make that version too?
