Looking for a quick and easy meal that’s flavorful and satisfying? This Lemon Chicken Bowtie Pasta recipe is perfect. Tender pieces of chicken are sautéed with garlic and then simmered in a creamy lemon sauce, and the bowtie pasta provides the perfect base for soaking up all of the delicious flavors.
With its bright, tangy taste and hearty texture, this dish will surely become a new favorite casserole recipe. For lemon fans, this Creamy Lemon Basil Pasta with Bucatini is another delicious option!
Read More: Ham and Bowtie Pasta Casserole Recipe | Chicken Pot Pie Noodle Casserole
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Bright and refreshing flavors
- Ready in just 30 minutes!
- Easily customized with different meats, herbs and veggies.
- One-pot meal (except for cooking pasta), so less clean-up!
Key Ingredients
- bowtie pasta
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts – cut into strips against the grain
- lemon-pepper seasoning
- olive oil
- minced garlic
- chicken broth
- shredded carrots
- cream cheese
- fresh lemon juice
- salt
- grated Parmesan cheese
Lemon Chicken Bowtie Pasta Directions
Step 1: Season the chicken with lemon pepper and then saute in olive oil over medium-high heat along with carrots and garlic until chicken is cooked through and carrots are tender. Set aside and keep warm.
Step 2: Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions to al dente and drain, reserving 1-2 cups of the pasta water.
Step 3: Add broth, cream cheese and lemon juice to a large saucepan, cooking on medium-low heat until cream cheese is melted and incorporated.
Step 4: Add chicken, drained pasta, salt, and grated Parmesan cheese to the pan and heat through for 5-10 minutes. If the mixture gets too thick, add reserved pasta liquid as needed.
Step 5: To serve, sprinkle additional Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley on top if desired.
Lemon Chicken Pasta Variations
- Asparagus spears
- Mushrooms
- Fresh spinach
- Garnish with chopped thyme instead of parsley
- Use turkey in place of chicken
- Try another pasta—angel hair, spaghetti or vermicelli
- For a kick of heat, sprinkle in red pepper flakes
Serving Suggestions
Serve this lemon pasta recipe with warm pumpkin biscuits or these savory bacon cheese biscuit bites, and for dessert, don’t miss this Oreo pudding cake!
Recipe FAQ
We really like bow tie pasta (farfalle) for this recipe because it has nooks and crannies to hold the thin lemon pasta sauce. But angel hair, spaghetti, or vermicelli typically do well with lighter sauces.
This is definitely a dish best served immediately because the pasta tends to absorb the leftover sauce leaving the dish a bit dry. You could try adding a little chicken broth to it, but honestly, freshly cooked is best.
Fresh lemon flavor is always better, but you could get away with it in a pinch.
More Recipes You’ll Love
Lemon Chicken Bowtie Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 16-oz pkg bow tie pasta
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch strips
- ½ teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 cups chicken broth
- ⅔ cup shredded carrots
- ½ cup cream cheese
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon parsley chopped
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions to al dente. Drain pasta. Reserve 1-2 cups of the pasta water.
- Meanwhile, sprinkle chicken with lemon pepper. In large non-stick skillet, stir fry chicken, carrots and garlic until chicken is cooked through and carrots are tender about 5-10 minutes. Remove chicken to a bowl; set aside and keep warm.
- Add broth, cream cheese and lemon juice to the skillet. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until cream cheese has melted.
- Add chicken, pasta, salt and Parmesan cheese to sauce. Heat through for 5-10 minutes. Add reserved pasta water as needed if sauce gets too thick. Sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley when serving, if desired.
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