Flavorful Lemon Chicken Pasta

Lemon Chicken Pasta starts with a simple marinade, and is packed with flavor! Cajun seasoning gives it just a bit of a kick. 

Pasta dishes like Creamy Cajun Pasta and Chicken Pasta with Bacon are staples at our house, and this is another chicken recipe we love!

Pasta is a favorite at our house, so I am always looking for new recipes. I found this Lemon Chicken Pasta recipe over at Mel’s Kitchen Cafe and knew I had to give it a try. Melanie said that it is packed with delicious flavor, and I will have to agree.

I had never used cajun seasoning before, but I went out and bought some just for this recipe. The whole family liked it, and I didn’t think it was too spicy at all. The lemon added a nice fresh flavor, and the combination of seasonings was just yummy!

Most lemon chicken recipes call for cream, but this one is much lighter, so you can eat it without guilt. You could even serve it over zoodles, or just leave out the noodles. It’s got enough flavor to stand alone!

The recipe is quite simple, but the chicken does need time to marinate, so make sure you plan ahead.

What can I serve with Lemon Chicken Pasta?

– Green salad is always a perfect accompaniment. At our house homemade ranch dressing is a must!
-A simple vegetable like sweet cooked carrots, peas, or green beans go well with this dish.
-My kids are always extra happy if I serve it with fresh watermelon or fruit salad.

I hope you’ll give this chicken a try. It’s a perfect dinner recipe, especially in the summertime.

Handy kitchen tools for making this lemon chicken pasta:

-Fresh lemon zest is a must, so you need a good lemon zester.
-I love mixing up my marinades in gallon ziplock bags. Just toss when you are done – no clean up!
-This is my favorite pot for cooking pasta. I’ve had it for years. It’s durable, but also lightweight.

Lemon Chicken Pasta

Yield: 6 servings

Lemon Chicken Pasta

Print

Flavorful marinated lemon chicken with a lightly sauced pasta.

Prep Time 3 hours

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 3 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

• Marinade:
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp cajun seasoning
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tsp dried parsley or 2 Tbsp fresh
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 2-3 chicken breasts, sliced
• For pasta:
• 1 pound uncooked pasta (we like rotini or fettuccini)
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 3 green onions, sliced
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley or 1 Tbsp dried parsley
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Combine all marinade ingredient in a gallon sized ziploc bag, adding chicken last. Zip bag closed, and mix all together till chicken is well coated. Refrigerate for 3-12 hours.

Preheat a skillet over medium heat. Add the entire contents of the ziplock bag and saute until chicken is cooked through. (Cook the pasta in salted boiling water while the chicken is cooking.)

Combine the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, green onions, and parsley in a small bowl. Set aside.

Drain the pasta and pour it back into the pan you cooked it in. Pour the olive oil/lemon mixture over the pasta and toss to coat.

Add the cooked chicken and the remaining sauce in the skillet to the pasta. Toss well. Add salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Notes

-The chicken marinates for 3-12 hours, so plan ahead.

Looking for more simple chicken recipes? Give these a try!

Chicken Fried Rice
Black Bean Salsa Chicken
Instant Pot Sweet and Spicy Chicken

Today’s recipe for Lemon Chicken Pasta was originally published  on July 30, 2011 and has been updated August 2018.