Pasta tossed with tender chicken and peas in a silky lemon cream sauce. Rich and creamy with a delectable citrus zing, this pasta sauce is one of my all time favourites. Quick and easy to prepare, Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta is an all-round winner.
Like my Lemon Kale Pasta with Walnuts and my Smoked Salmon and Prawn Linguine, Lemon Chicken Pasta with Peas is a real multitasker. It is quick and easy to prepare on a busy weeknight, yet it still has that special something that makes it refined enough for entertaining.
Creamy Lemon Pasta Sauce
The lemon cream sauce is one of my all time favourites. It is so smooth and silky, and the lemon really elevates it and stops it from feeling too heavy. The lemon sauce compliments the chicken and sweet peas perfectly, but it is also excellent served simply with pasta for an even easier meal.
For this creamy lemon sauce I like to use white wine, but it works equally well with chicken stock and I switch between both depending on what I have to hand.
Lemon Chicken Pasta Ingredients
- Chicken Breast – Sliced in half horizontally to make 2 thinner chicken cutlets. Thinner pieces of chicken will cook more quickly and stay juicy. You can also use chicken tenders or diced chicken breast if you prefer.
- Pasta – I love tagliatelle for this dish as the creamy lemon sauce clings to it perfectly. A long pasta is best but almost any shape will work for this dish, so use what your prefer.
- Peas – Frozen peas are one of my freezer staples and so easy to add to dishes like this for a burst of sweetness.
- Double Cream – or heavy cream.
- Lemon – juice and zest.
- Garlic
- Shallots – you can also use a small white onion.
- White Wine – you can easily substitute chicken or vegetable stock. If using a stock cube just use half and save the rest for next time.
- Parmesan Cheese – Or Pecorino Romano.
- Olive Oil
- Flour – to dredge the chicken. You can skip this step for a gluten free version.
- Salt and Pepper
- Fresh Basil – or another herb like parsley or chives.
Serving Suggestions and Variations
I love this creamy lemon chicken pasta served with a simple green salad on the side. It is also perfect with garlic bread (what pasta isn’t?)
Make this dish your own with some tasty substitutions.
Swap out the Chicken – Use tofu or sautéed tenderstem broccoli for a vegetarian version. Add some edamame beans for extra protein (you can add frozen edamame to the pasta with the frozen peas). Crispy bacon also works a treat instead of (or as well as) the chicken.
Extra Veggies – Broccoli or asparagus both work a treat or some chopped spinach or kale stirred in with the pasta. You can replace the peas too if you are not a fan or don’t have any handy.
Gluten Free – Skip the flour or use gluten free, and use a GF pasta.
Vegan/Dairy Free – Leave out the chicken if you don’t eat meat – see above for some tasty alternatives. Swap the cream for a plant-based version and skip the parmesan.
Due to the nature of the creamy sauce, this dish is best served freshly cooked and I don’t recommend freezing it. You can reheat leftovers that have been stored in the fridge in the microwave but the sauce may become gloopy so you might want to add a splash of water.
I hope you like this recipe as much as I do! Please leave a comment or tag me on Instagram @carrieskitchen_ if you make it!
More Easy Chicken Dishes:
- Blackberry Basil Chicken Salad
- Pesto Chicken Traybake
- Chicken and Chorizo Pasta Bake
- Greek Chicken Traybake
Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta
Equipment
- 1 Pasta Pot
- 1 Large pan or frying pan
- 1 Sharp Knife
- 1 Chopping Board
- 1 Colander or Pasta Strainer
- 1 Kitchen tongs
- 1 Spatula or wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 1 large chicken breast
- 180 grams tagliatelle or any long pasta
- 60 ml double or heavy cream ¼ cup or 4 tbsp
- 60 ml white wine or chicken stock
- 150 grams frozen peas 1 cup
- 2 shallots diced
- 2 cloves garlic diced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lemon juice and zest
- 20 grams grated parmesan
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- salt and pepper
- chopped basil (or parsley)
Instructions
- Slice the chicken breast in half horizontally to make 2 thinner cutlets. Sprinkle the flour on a plate, season generously with salt and pepper and dredge the chicken in the flour to lightly coat, tapping off any excess.
- Heat the oil in a large, deep pan and pan fry the chicken for 4-5 minutes on both sides until golden and cooked through. Set aside and keep warm.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook the pasta according to packet instructions and add the peas for the last minute of cooking. Reserve a cup of the pasta water before draining.
- Add the diced shallots and a generous pinch of salt to the same pan used to cook the chicken (no need to clean). Cook for 2-3 mins until beginning to soften then add the garlic until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Pour over the wine or stock to deglaze the pan, using a spatula to scrape up any bits that have stuck to the bottom and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the lemon juice to the wine or stock then add the cream and allow it to bubble for 2-3 minutes to thicken. Stir in the parmesan and lemon zest.
- Drain the pasta and peas and use tongs to toss into the sauce along with 2 tbsp pasta water. Add more pasta water as required to loosen the sauce and get your desired consistency.
- Slice chicken breasts then stir in to the pasta with the chopped basil. Serve immediately, with extra parmesan if you wish.
Nutrition
This recipe has been linked to #CookBlogShare hosted by Sisley at SewWhite and Run by Sisley and Chloe at Feast Glorious Feast.
This is my favourite kind of pasta – creamy chicken with peas. Its actually one of the very few ways in which I enjoy peas! I’ll have to try your version next time I go to make it 🙂
This looks amazing and fresh, perfect for this time of year!
This looks so fresh and delicious! The perfect midweek meal.