Description
A delightful Lemon Garlic Butter Chicken served over creamy Parmesan linguine, blending tender seared chicken breasts with a luscious garlic butter lemon sauce and rich Parmesan cream pasta for a comforting and elegant meal.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to even thickness
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- Juice and zest of 1 lemon
For the Creamy Parmesan Linguine
- 12 ounces linguine
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ cup reserved pasta water
For Garnish
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- Extra grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Season the chicken: In a bowl, season the chicken breasts evenly with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and paprika to build flavor.
- Sear the chicken: Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for 4–5 minutes per side until golden brown and fully cooked through.
- Make the lemon garlic butter sauce: Reduce heat to medium, add the remaining butter, minced garlic, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Spoon the lemon garlic butter sauce over the chicken as it simmers for about one minute to infuse flavor. Remove chicken from heat and keep warm.
- Cook the linguine: Meanwhile, bring salted water to a boil and cook the linguine according to package instructions. Before draining, reserve ½ cup of the pasta water, then drain the linguine.
- Prepare the Parmesan cream sauce: In a separate saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Pour in the heavy cream, then stir in grated Parmesan cheese, salt, black pepper, and Italian seasoning. Cook for 3–4 minutes until the cheese is fully melted and the sauce is smooth.
- Toss pasta with sauce: Gradually add reserved pasta water to the sauce, stirring to loosen as needed. Add the cooked linguine and toss thoroughly until every strand is coated with the creamy Parmesan sauce.
- Serve and garnish: Plate the creamy Parmesan linguine and top with the lemon garlic butter chicken. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and additional Parmesan cheese if desired. Serve immediately for best flavor.
Notes
- You can substitute chicken breasts with boneless thighs for a juicier texture.
- For added brightness and acidity, squeeze fresh lemon juice over the plated dish just before serving.
- Reserve pasta water carefully to adjust sauce consistency without diluting flavor.
- Use fresh Parmesan for best taste and meltability in the sauce.
