This lemon chicken pasta recipe is perfect for anyone who loves creamy pasta dishes and crispy chicken! It is super simple to make, tastes delicious, and makes for an amazing dinner.
This lemon chicken pasta recipe combines two of my favorite dishes, dairy-free fettuccine Alfredo and crispy parmesan crusted chicken. It takes a little more time (and dishes) to make, but it is absolutely worth it!
The pasta sauce is super creamy, the chicken is juicy and crispy, and the lemon juice adds some acidity that perfectly complements the sauce and chicken! This creamy lemon chicken pasta is pure comfort food!
Ingredients
To make this creamy lemon chicken pasta, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Fettuccine: I love to use fettuccine with creamy pasta sauces, but feel free to use any other shape of pasta to make this dish.
- Parmesan crusted chicken: For the parmesan crusted chicken, you’ll need panko breadcrumbs, parmesan, flour, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, chicken cutlets, and eggs.
- Homemade cashew Alfredo sauce: To make the Alfredo sauce, you’ll need cashews, water, nutritional yeast, garlic, onion, and some lemon juice.
- Baby spinach: I added some baby spinach to the sauce as it pairs very well with the other ingredients. It is a must in any pasta sauce!
- Lemon: You’ll need some lemon juice and if you want some lemon zest to turn the Alfredo sauce into a creamy lemon sauce for this dish.
- Parsley: Another favorite is parsley to add a little flavor boost! Other herbs like basil are a great alternative.
How to make creamy lemon chicken pasta
Making this creamy lemon chicken pasta requires a few steps, but everything is actually very simple! Here is what you need to do:
- Prepare the sauce and chicken cutlets: Before you start cooking, bread the chicken cutlets according to the recipe instructions and prepare the cashew Alfredo sauce.
- Cook the pasta: Next, cook the pasta according to the package instructions.
- Pan-fry the chicken: In the meantime, pan-fry the breaded chicken cutlets for 3-4 on each side until they are golden brown.
- Heat the sauce: While the chicken cooks, heat the sauce in a large pan over medium heat. If the sauce thickens, add more liquid. Stir in the baby spinach and lemon juice.
- Combine: Transfer the pasta to the pot and toss until everything is combined. Add more salt, pepper, or lemon juice if needed.
- Serve: Now serve the pasta with the pan-fried chicken cutlets. Garnish with parsley and enjoy!
Tips & Notes
Here are some tips to make sure that this dish turns out perfectly when you make it.
- Adjust the sauce to your taste. You might want to add more garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, or nutritional yeast to the sauce. It really depends on your personal preferences, so be sure to check and adjust the sauce as needed.
- Add more liquid when the sauce thickens. The sauce usually thickens when you heat it, so add more liquid when needed. This can be water, unsweetened almond milk, or unsweetened cashew milk.
Variations
You can definitely adjust this lemon chicken pasta recipe to your taste. Here are a few delicious ideas.
- Substitute the cashew Alfredo sauce with heavy cream and parmesan cheese. I wanted to keep this recipe lactose-free, but feel free to add heavy cream and parmesan cheese as a substitute for the cashew Alfredo sauce if you don’t mind adding dairy. And make sure to add some onion and garlic if you decide to substitute the sauce.
- Use different pasta types. You don’t necessarily need to use fettuccine or wheat pasta. You can use all types and shapes of pasta. Just choose something you know you’ll love.
- Add more vegetables to this dish. Asparagus, zucchini, and broccolini taste great with the creamy sauce! Or maybe you want to serve a side salad like this lemon arugula salad.
Frequently Asked Questions
The chicken breading contains some parmesan cheese, but as parmesan is very low in lactose, it is considered lactose-free. The Alfredo sauce is actually vegan, so it is completely dairy-free. So even if you can’t tolerate dairy, you can enjoy this dish!
The pasta, panko breadcrumbs, and flour contain gluten. To make this dish gluten-free, simply use gluten-free pasta, gluten-free panko breadcrumbs, and gluten-free flour.
I like to store the sauce, pasta, and chicken in separate containers. You can store everything for 3-4 days in your refrigerator. When the pasta and sauce are already combined, store them in one container and add a little extra liquid to reheat the pasta in a pan or microwave.
More simple and delicious pasta recipes
I absolutely love chewy pasta, fresh vegetables, and flavorful pasta sauces for dinner! Here are more recipes you might love if you are like me.
- Vegan Penne alla Vodka
- Tortellini Alfredo
- Baked Feta Pasta with Shrimp
- Cashew Cajun Shrimp Alfredo
- Rigatoni Bolognese
Lemon Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 cups vegan cashew Alfredo sauce
- 4 parmesan crusted chicken cutlets
- 12 ounces fettuccine
- 2 handfuls baby spinach
- ½ lemon juiced, more to taste
- salt and pepper to taste
- parsley for garnish
Instructions
- First, prepare the cashew Alfredo sauce according to the recipe instructions. Then bread the chicken cutlets according to the recipe instructions.
- Cook the pasta according to the package instructions.
- In the meantime, preheat some oil in a large pan and cook the chicken cutlets for 3-4 minutes on each side until they are golden brown.
- Next, pour the Alfredo sauce into a large pan or pot and heat it over medium heat. Add more liquid (water, almond milk, cashew milk) when the sauce thickens. Stir in the spinach. Then add the lemon juice.
- Now transfer the pasta to the sauce and toss until everything is combined. Check if you want to add more salt, pepper, or lemon juice.
- Serve with the chicken cutlets, garnish with parsley, and enjoy!
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