Lemon Pepper Chicken Pasta – An Easy Summer Dinner!
The title of this recipe is a tongue twister. But the dish is delish. I received the method for making this Lemon Pepper Chicken Pasta through the grapevine at a previous church. It is simple to make, yet packed with flavor. This light and refreshing dish is the perfect summer pasta!
Even better, it pairs perfectly with my absolute favorite homemade bread: Miracle No Knead Bread from Pinch of Yum. This bread lives up to its name. It takes about five minutes of work, and you end up with artisan-quality, crusty goodness. (The only trick is that you have to mix the ingredients together the night before, but the timing of it is very flexible.)
Anyway, on to the reason we’re here: Lemon Pepper Chicken Pasta. This dish is basically a two-step process:
Step One: Chicken
The chicken can be cooked pretty much any way you want to do it. Grilled chicken is amazing in this recipe. Sometimes I cube the chicken and sauté it on the stove top.
I’ve included directions for baking the chicken breasts because that seems to be the quickest, easiest way to whip it up. My method for baking chicken breasts is loosely based on this recipe from Gimme Some Oven. The high heat cooks it quickly but leaves it juicy on the inside (just be sure to pull the chicken out as soon as it reaches the right temp!). Also, be sure to let the chicken rest for a few minutes before cutting it, so that it retains all that juiciness!
Whatever you do, seasoning the chicken with its own dose of lemon pepper flavor gives the dish a delightful boost!
Step Two: Pasta
Cook and drain the pasta. Let me take a second here to insert one of my favorite kitchen hacks:
If you’re Italian, don’t read this. But I always break long noodles before cooking them. They fit in the pan better and are easier to serve to small children. But I generally would end up with broken noodle bits in the corners and crevices of my kitchen. So now, I do this:
Small shaped pastas (such as penne or farfalle) also work beautifully in this dish.
Return the cooked pasta to the pan and stir in the remaining ingredients (olive oil, green onion, lemon juice and lemon zest, parmesan cheese, and lots of freshly ground pepper).
Easy peasy, lemon squeezy.
Looking for more dinner recipes? Check out my Chicken and Dumplings recipe, or my favorite 10 One Pot Wonders!
Lemon Pepper Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 1-1½ lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
- lemon pepper seasoning
- 16 oz pasta
- 3-4 small lemons or 2½ large lemons
- 4 green onions diced
- 1½ c shredded parmesan plus more for serving, if desired
- ½ c olive oil
- lots of freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Place chicken on a greased baking sheet and sprinkle generously with lemon pepper seasoning. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or just until chicken reaches 165°F. Let the chicken rest 5-10 minutes, then cut into bite-sized pieces.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta. Turn off the heat, drain pasta, and return it to the pan. Stir in the olive oil. Add the juice and zest of all the lemons. Add the green onions, parmesan, and diced chicken. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Toss it all together. Serve with additional parmesan, if desired.
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