• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Sprinkles and Sprouts

Great food with grocery store ingredients

  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Contact Me
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
Home > Meal Type > Pasta Recipes > Lemon Pepper Chicken Pasta

Lemon Pepper Chicken Pasta

Updated: Mar 29th 2020 • Published: Apr 12th 2019 • 13 Comments

Jump to recipe button JUMP TO RECIPE
JUMP TO VIDEO
pin image with two picture of lemon pepper pasta and text in the middle
overhead view of lemon pasta with text at the top
close up on the chicken in the lemon pepper pasta with text at the top
close up on the pasta in the lemon pepper chicken pasta
a fork swirling some lemon pepper chicken pasta off a white plate with text at the top
a white plate of lemon pepper pasta with silver fork and text at the top

This Lemon Pepper Chicken Pasta makes a great, easy and inexpensive meal for the family; just perfect for weeknight dinners.

The juicy crispy lemon pepper chicken is served on a bed of lemon pasta, with enough pepper to make it interesting but mild enough for kids. It is quick to make, delicious to eat and is sure to be a hit!

Plus if served with a side salad or some roasted veg, then one chicken breast will be enough to serve a family of 4!

A fork swirling up lemon pasta from a white plate

Everyone loves pasta and this lemon pepper pasta makes such a change from the tomato based dishes that often make it to the table. Don’t get me wrong I love a good Spaghetti Bolognese but I am a big fan of no tomato pasta dishes, like this Creamy Rosemary Chicken Pasta or my total fav my Roasted Cauliflower Pasta with Creamy Garlic Sauce (SOOO GOOD!)

This pasta dish is great if you are trying to avoid heavy cream, gettings it rich almost creamy flavor from olive oil, parmesan, lemon juice, and some pasta cooking water.

Jump Menu

  • Pasta Cooking Water?
  • How to make a no-cook lemon pepper sauce for pasta
  • What to serve with Lemon Pepper Chicken Pasta
  • What wine to drink with lemon pepper pasta?
  • Lemon Pepper Chicken Pasta Recipe

Pasta Cooking Water?

Yes, the pasta cooking water is the key to almost all great pasta sauces. As the pasta cooks, it releases some starch into the water, meaning that pasta cooking water will naturally thicken sauces and really help them cling to the pasta. You’ll notice that most of my pasta dishes say to remove a couple of cups of the pasta water before draining the pasta. Often you only need a 1/4 cup, but better to have removed too much than to have poured the valuable water down the drain.

head on showing a plate of lemon pepper pasta with the serving dish behind

How to make a no-cook lemon pepper sauce for pasta

Whilst the pasta is cooking, the sauce ingredients are mixed together in a bowl or measuring cup. Once the pasta is ready, some pasta cooking water is added and then the sauce is tossed through the hot pasta. This coats everything with a deliciously zesty yet creamy sauce. All ready for the crispy lemon pepper chicken breasts.

overhead showing sliced lemon pepper chicken breasts on a bed of pasta

Lemon Pepper Chicken Breasts

The recipe calls for one large chicken breast, which will be enough for a family of four. (Yes that is just one large chicken breast in the picture above!)

Although if you are serving four adults you may want to do double the amount of chicken. Also if you find you can only buy very small chicken breasts then you might want to use two. You can see the size of my chicken breast in the picture below. That was enough for the four of us, with the pasta and some roasted broccoli.

To make the most of the chicken breast and also ensure it cooks quickly, the breast is cut in half horizontally to make two chicken fillets. You can read more about filleting chicken breasts in this post for my Honey Pecan Chicken Breasts.

Chicken breast being filleted on a wooden chopping board

How to get enough lemon flavor into the chicken without making it taste sour.

The key here is lemon zest! It adds lemon flavor without the sourness you get from lemon juice. Plus it doesn’t dry out the chicken breast like lemon juice can do.

To ensure plenty of flavor, the chicken is coated with a lemon pepper rub, consisting of:
Lemon Zest
Olive Oil
Black Pepper
Dried Parsley
These are all mixed together and then used to coat the chicken.
Once they have been rubbed into the chicken, it is coated in seasoned flour and fried in olive oil until crispy.

The pictures below are for a double serving of this lemon pepper chicken – hence the fact there are 4 fillets. You can change the serving size for any of my recipes by using the serving size box in the recipe card. Change the number in the servings box and the ingredient amounts will automatically change. You can scale a recipe up or down, just bear in mind that some values might look a little strange when you change the servings.

What to serve with Lemon Pepper Chicken Pasta

We like to serve this with a side of vegetables, often roasted or sauteed.
Try these next time you serve pasta:

  • Roasted Fennel
  • Sautéed Kale
  • Roasted Broccolini
  • Sautéed Green Beans

What wine to drink with lemon pepper pasta?

Lemon is notoriously difficult to pair with wine, as it softens wines and can sometimes make them taste sweet.
I have found this dish can take a really fresh young bubbly wine, like an English sparkling wine or something from South Australia. Or add creaminess with a Chardonnay.
But I think my favorite pairing is actually a light sharp red like a Valpolicella. It is mellowed by the lemon and works well with the pepper.

A family serving of lemon pepper chicken pasta in an white earthen wear bowl

Enjoy x

For more amazing pasta recipes check out some other great recipes:

  • Garlic Butter Pasta with Garlic Chicken
  • Shrimp Chorizo Pasta
  • Pasta with Chicken Broth and Butter
  • Creamy Rosemary Chicken Pasta
  • Roasted Cauliflower Pasta with Creamy Garlic Sauce
  • Pasta with Roasted Fennel
  • Creamy Pepper Steak Pasta
  • Pork Stroganoff with Buttered Noodles
  • Black Truffle Pasta
  • See ALL 40+ Pasta Recipes

RECIPE NEWSLETTER

Signup and get my FREE soup cookbook.

By clicking submit, you acknowledge that the information you provide will be processed in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.

Pin this recipe for Lemon Pepper Chicken Pasta. Pin it here.

overhead of a white plate with lemon pasta in it and a silver fork
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
4.15 from 14 votes

Lemon Pepper Chicken Pasta Recipe

This Lemon Pepper Chicken Pasta makes a great, easy, inexpensive meal for the family; just perfect for weeknight dinners. The juicy crispy lemon pepper chicken is served on a bed of lemon pasta, with enough pepper to make it interesting but mild enough for kids. It is quick to make, delicious to eat and is sure to be a hit! Plus if served with a side salad or some roasted veg, then one chicken breast will be enough to serve a family of 4!
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time10 mins
Total Time25 mins
Course: Main
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 4
Calories: 834kcal
Author: Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts
For more great recipes follow me on PinterestFollow @sprinklessprout
Need Metric Measurements?Use the options below to toggle between cups and grams (if relevant)

Ingredients

US Customary – Grams

For the Pasta Sauce

  • 3 lemons
  • 2/3 cup olive oil
  • 2/3 cup grated Parmesan
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper – see note 1

For the chicken and pasta

  • 1 chicken breast
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper – see note 1
  • 1/4 tsp dried parsley
  • 1 1/2 tbsp AP flour
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tbsp oil
  • 11 oz spaghetti

Instructions

Start with the sauce.

  • Start by zesting and juicing the lemons.
  • Mix the lemon juice, olive oil, parmesan, salt, and black pepper together in a measuring cup. Add in half of the lemon zest.
  • Set the sauce to one side.

For the chicken and pasta

  • Lay your chicken breast flat on the board and use a large sharp knife to cut sideways through the breast.
  • Continue to cut through the chicken breast, keeping the knife flat and parallel to the chopping board until you have two plump fillets.
  • Add the remaining lemon zest to a small bowl, then add the olive oil, black pepper, dried parsley and mix together well.
  • Pour this lemon pepper mixture over the chicken fillets and massage until well covered.
  • Combine the flour and salt in a shallow bowl.
  • Take each chicken fillet and lightly coat it in the flour.
  • Place a large skillet/fry pan over medium heat, add the oil and let it heat up whilst you get the pasta on.
  • Bring a big pan of water to a boil, salt it generously and then add the pasta, set a timer for a minute less than the packet suggests.
  • Once the pasta is boiling, cook the chicken for 2-3 minutes on each side or until the internal temperature reaches 165ºF/73ºC.
  • Once cooked remove the chicken from the pan and slice into thin strips.
  • When the pasta is cooked remove 2 cups of the pasta cooking water and then drain.
  • Add a 1/4 cup of the cooking water to the prepared sauce, stir well and then pour over the pasta. Stir well and add more cooking water until you have a smooth light sauce coating the pasta.
  • Serve immediately with the sliced chicken and an extra garnish of parsley, pepper and lemon zest.

Notes

  1. Try to use freshly cracked black pepper from a pepper mill or the course cracked pepper you can buy in the grocery store. If you can only find the fine powdered pepper then reduce the pepper by at least half.

Nutrition

Calories: 834kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 49g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 947mg | Potassium: 528mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 180IU | Vitamin C: 43.6mg | Calcium: 235mg | Iron: 2.4mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @sprinklesandsprouts or tag #sprinklesandsprouts

Find me on:
Pinterest | Instagram | Facebook 
Let’s share the food love and make the world a tastier place 🙂

Jump to recipe buttonFacebook share iconPinterest share icon

Filed Under: All Recipes, Chicken Breast Recipes, Main Dishes, Pasta Recipes

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Madeleine says

    Feb 19th 2020 at 10:26 pm

    4 stars
    Is there anything else I can use besides cheese for the sauce? Can I just skip it all together?

    Reply
    • Claire McEwen says

      Feb 21st 2020 at 8:36 pm

      Hi Madeleine,

      I think you could leave the cheese out, but you will find the sauce isn’t quite as thick. You could try thickening it with a cornstarch slurry (1/2 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp cold water)
      I would also add extra salt to make up for the lack of salty parmesan.
      Sorry I can’t be more helpful but I haven’t tried it without the parmesan.
      Cx

      Reply
    • Hannah says

      Mar 29th 2020 at 8:33 pm

      Should I double the sauce recipe if I’m using 3 chicken breasts instead of 1?

      Reply
      • Claire McEwen says

        Mar 30th 2020 at 6:39 am

        Hi Hannah,
        if you are increasing the amount of pasta then I would definitely increase the amount of sauce. But if it is just the chicken that you are increasing then I would just increase the coating on the chicken.
        So for 3 chicken breasts:
        3 tbsp oil
        3 tsp freshly ground black pepper – see note 1
        0.75 tsp dried parsley
        4.5 tbsp AP flour
        0.75 tsp salt
        1.5 tbsp oil
        3 lemons – zest only (this is in addition to the zest that is leftover from making the sauce)

        Hope that makes sense.
        If you are increasing the pasta then I would increase everything. You can easily do this by changing the serving number on the recipe card. It will automatically scale the measurements up for you. Some numbers don’t always scale well (say if the servings are an odd number) so they might look a little wonky.
        Hope that all helps.
        Please come back and comment if you are having any problems 🙂
        Cx

        Reply
  2. Brittany Stuart says

    Jan 8th 2020 at 6:39 am

    Any tips for when I only have one lemon and don’t want to get out? I just happened to have all of the other ingredients on hand but only one lemon!

    Reply
    • Claire McEwen says

      Jan 8th 2020 at 8:07 am

      Hi Brittany,

      With only one lemon, I would probably make the chicken without any lemon, so make the rub up with the olive oil, black pepper and dried parsley. For a boost of flavor if you have it you could add some dried oregano (1/2 tsp). It will still be delicious without the lemon.

      Then with the lemon you have, juice and zest it and use it for the pasta. You won’t have as much juice as the recipe uses, so I would add a little chicken/vegetable broth to the sauce to help it go a little further (1/4 cup). The lemon flavor will be milder than the original dish, but the zest will help.

      Hope that helps 😀

      Reply
    • Claire McEwen says

      Jan 8th 2020 at 8:11 am

      Oh and make sure you zest the lemon first’s it is easier to get more zest off. Then before you juice the lemon, roll it on the counter top a few times to break down the fibres so you can get as much juice as possible out of it.

      Reply
  3. Rita Skeeter says

    May 10th 2019 at 12:40 pm

    5 stars
    This is such an INCREDIBLY EASY dish to make, yet so impressive for guests. I don’t eat meat or dairy, but wanted to impress someone coming over for dinner who I knew wouldn’t like a plant based meal. They loved this and said it was divine. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Claire McEwen says

      May 10th 2019 at 12:47 pm

      Oh I am so glad you found the recipe easy to follow and that your guests enjoyed it.
      And I love that you thought about your guests preferences, what a wonderful host 😀

      Reply
  4. Frustrated says

    May 10th 2019 at 6:53 am

    1 star
    Your instructions are very poor. Not trying to be mean, but they don’t make since. And there’s no sauce for the pasta? I’m so confused. It’s cooking right now and I’m hoping it turns out because I don’t want to go get takeout when I made all this effort. This is coming from two seasoned home cooks who know how to read recipes… ?

    Reply
    • Claire McEwen says

      May 10th 2019 at 12:38 pm

      I am very sorry you are finding the recipe hard to follow. But there is definitely a sauce with the pasta. It is labelled at the top of the ingredient list and is the first thing to be prepared in the recipe instructions.
      Are there any other issues with the dish?

      Reply
  5. molly says

    Apr 16th 2019 at 2:35 pm

    5 stars
    Woooww, I can’t wait to try it, Thanks for sharing….

    Reply
    • Claire McEwen says

      Apr 16th 2019 at 5:18 pm

      It is a really delicious chicken pasta recipe! And the kids love it!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Hi, I’m Claire,

Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts

I believe cooking for those you love should be stress free and simple.

Here on Sprinkles and Sprouts you will find delicious meals all made with easy to find grocery store ingredients. Family friendly mains, sensational sides and delicious desserts. Plus a great selection of party food and appetizers.

Read More

RECIPE NEWSLETTER

Signup and get my FREE soup cookbook.

By clicking submit, you acknowledge that the information you provide will be processed in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.

Readers’ Favorites

Small close up of pasta in chicken broth braised celery in an oval white dish
a silver spoon dipping into a white bowl of hallandaise sauce tube pasta with a creamy steak sauce in a grey bowl
homemade flour tortilla on a sheet of baking paper close up on a chicken portion coated in peri peri seasonings
a small bowl of red salsa on a blue table close up on a sliced chicken breast with garlic spaghetti
small white bowl filled with linguine topped with shaved black truffle Beef and broccoli takeout style in a white bowl

Footer

All content, recipes and photographs are copyrighted to Claire McEwen and are the property of Sprinkles and Sprouts.
THEY MAY NOT BE REPUBLISHED IN PART OR WHOLE WITHOUT PERMISSION AND PROPER CREDIT.
Contact me to see republishing and syndication rights.

2014-2020 Sprinkles and Sprouts

  • Home
  • About Sprinkles and Sprouts
  • Recipe Index
  • Contact Me
  • Disclosure and Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2021 · Cravings Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in