Description

This Lemon Chicken Pasta is a zesty, flavorful dish combining tender chicken breasts, al dente farfalle pasta, and sautéed summer squash, all tossed in a buttery lemon sauce and finished with freshly grated parmesan and parsley. It’s a quick and satisfying meal perfect for weeknight dinners that balances bright citrus notes with hearty, comforting ingredients.

Ingredients

Scale

Pasta

16 oz (454 g) mini farfalle pasta, or any bite-size pasta

Chicken

2–3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon garlic powder, divided
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, divided
½ teaspoon onion powder
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Vegetables & Sauce

1 zucchini, chopped
1 yellow squash, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 tablespoons butter (57 g)
¼ cup fresh lemon juice (60 g)
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (95 g)
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped (15 g)

Instructions

Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
Season and Cook the Chicken: Pat chicken dry and season both sides with salt, pepper, lemon zest, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning, and onion powder. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken and cook for 3–5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and cover loosely with foil to keep warm.
Cook the Vegetables: In the same skillet, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Add the chopped zucchini and yellow squash. Season with salt, pepper, remaining ½ teaspoon garlic powder, and ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning. Cook for about 2 minutes, then add minced garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
Combine Everything: Add the cooked pasta to the skillet along with butter and lemon juice. Toss until the butter melts and everything is evenly coated. Stir in the parmesan cheese and toss to combine.
Add Chicken and Finish: Slice the cooked chicken and return it to the pan. Toss well to combine all ingredients.
Serve: Garnish with chopped parsley and extra parmesan cheese before serving.

Notes

For extra zest, add more lemon zest or a squeeze of lemon juice before serving.
You can swap mini farfalle for any small pasta shape like penne or rotini.
Cook chicken to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) for food safety.
Leftovers store well in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat gently to preserve moisture.
Adding a splash of pasta cooking water when combining pasta and sauce can help the sauce adhere better.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Category: Main Dish
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Italian-American

Keywords: lemon chicken pasta, easy chicken pasta, lemon butter pasta, summer squash pasta, quick dinner recipe, Italian pasta with chicken