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Lemon Garlic Chicken Bowtie Pasta

A quick and easy weeknight pasta dish featuring tender chicken in a creamy lemon garlic sauce with bowtie pasta, perfect for busy evenings.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 4

Equipment

  • Large skillet
  • Pot For cooking pasta
  • bowl For seasoning chicken

Ingredients
  

Chicken

  • 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts sliced into strips
  • 1 teaspoon salt for chicken
  • 0.125 teaspoon pepper for chicken
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Pasta & Sauce

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 lemon zest from 1 lemon
  • 1 lemon juice from 1 lemon
  • 1 tablespoon butter for aromatics
  • 8 oz bowtie pasta
  • 2 tablespoons butter for sauce
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
  • 0.5 teaspoon salt for sauce
  • 1 pinch pepper to taste
  • fresh parsley chopped, for garnish

Instructions
 

  • In a bowl, toss chicken strips with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and Italian seasoning until evenly coated.
    1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add seasoned chicken and cook until browned and cooked through. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
    1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • To the same skillet, add minced garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon of butter. Cook for about a minute until fragrant.
    1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • Meanwhile, cook bowtie pasta in a pot of boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Reserve about 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining.
    1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • Add heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, chicken broth, remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper to the skillet with the garlic and lemon. Stir until butter melts and sauce is smooth and creamy.
    1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • Return the cooked chicken to the skillet with the sauce.
    1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • Add the drained pasta to the skillet with the chicken and sauce. Toss to coat. If the sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.
    1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • Serve immediately, garnished with fresh chopped parsley.
    1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Notes

This dish is also adaptable; feel free to add spinach, broccoli, or swap chicken for shrimp or tofu.