One-Pan Lemon Herb Pasta Chicken (Printable Version)

Tender chicken, pasta, lemon, and herbs combine in a vibrant, easy-to-make dish bursting with flavor.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Protein

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approx. 14 oz), cut into bite-sized pieces

→ Pasta

02 - 10 oz penne or fusilli pasta, uncooked

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

03 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
04 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
06 - 1 lemon, zest and juice
07 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
08 - 2 cups baby spinach

→ Herbs

09 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
10 - 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
11 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
12 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme

→ Liquids

13 - 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

→ Dairy

14 - 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

→ Seasoning

15 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper and cook for 3-4 minutes until lightly browned but not completely cooked. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
02 - In the same skillet, add onion and garlic. Sauté for 2 minutes until fragrant and translucent.
03 - Add uncooked pasta, chicken broth, lemon zest, lemon juice, dried oregano, and dried thyme. Stir well and bring mixture to a boil.
04 - Reduce heat to medium-low, cover skillet, and simmer for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
05 - Return chicken to the skillet and add cherry tomatoes. Cook uncovered for an additional 7-8 minutes until pasta is al dente and most liquid is absorbed.
06 - Stir in baby spinach, fresh parsley, fresh basil, and Parmesan cheese. Cook for 1-2 minutes until spinach wilts and cheese melts.
07 - Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed. Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan and fresh herbs.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one pan, which means way less to wash and more time to actually enjoy dinner.
  • The lemon and fresh herbs make it taste bright and restaurant-quality without any fussy technique.
  • Chicken and pasta cook together, so the pasta soaks up all those savory, citrusy flavors.
  • It's flexible enough to throw together on a Tuesday but impressive enough to serve when friends drop by.
02 -
  • Don't fully cook the chicken in the first sear—it will cook through later in the broth, and finishing it twice makes it tough and dry.
  • Stir the pasta occasionally while it simmers so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan and burn.
  • Add the fresh herbs at the very end; if you cook them longer than a minute or two, they turn dark and bitter instead of bright.
  • The pasta continues to absorb liquid even after you turn off the heat, so if your dish looks a little wet when you're finishing it, that's actually right.
03 -
  • Use a skillet with a tight-fitting lid so the steam circulates evenly and the pasta cooks uniformly instead of the edges drying out.
  • If you can't find fresh lemon, bottled juice works, but use a tiny bit less because it's stronger and more acidic than the real thing.
  • The moment the spinach wilts, stop cooking—overcooked spinach tastes metallic and falls apart into mush.
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