Description
This lemon garlic butter chicken with creamy parmesan linguine is a restaurant-style dinner made right at home. Juicy, golden chicken is coated in a buttery, citrus-infused sauce and served over rich, cheesy linguine for a comforting and elegant meal that’s ready in under 45 minutes.
Ingredients
- For the Lemon Garlic Butter Chicken:
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp paprika (optional)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp lemon juice + 1 tsp lemon zest
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
- For the Creamy Parmesan Linguine:
- 8 oz linguine pasta
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Reserved pasta water (as needed for thinning)
- Optional: chopped herbs or red pepper flakes for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Boil linguine until al dente, reserving 1 cup pasta water before draining.
- Prepare chicken: Season both sides of the chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet and cook chicken 5–6 minutes per side until golden and fully cooked. Remove and set aside.
- Make the lemon garlic butter sauce: In the same skillet, melt butter, add minced garlic, lemon juice, and zest. Stir and scrape up browned bits. Return chicken to skillet to coat in sauce.
- Make the parmesan sauce: In a separate saucepan, melt butter and sauté garlic. Add cream and simmer for 2–3 minutes. Stir in Parmesan and season to taste. Add pasta water to loosen sauce if needed.
- Toss pasta in the sauce until fully coated.
- Plate pasta and top with sliced chicken, spooning over extra lemon garlic butter sauce. Garnish with parsley and extra cheese if desired.
Notes
- Add sautéed spinach or cherry tomatoes for color and nutrition.
- Swap chicken for shrimp or salmon for a seafood twist.
- Half and half can be used instead of heavy cream for a lighter sauce.
