Butter Garlic Chicken Pasta (One Pot)

Quick and easy lemon garlic chicken pasta recipe, homemade with simple ingredients in one pot in 30 minutes on stovetop. It's creamy, cheesy and packed with butter and lemon.

Weeknights are hectic in our household and this meal is constantly in our meal plan along with this Garlic Lemon Pasta. Now, I typically make this with garlic butter sauce but today's version is so much easier and faster. There was barely any mess to clean up afterwards. Best of all, everyone in the family approves of this and some even ask for second servings. For more dinner time inspiration, be sure to check out my Pasta Recipes.

Key ingredients

• Oil- Used for sauteing.
• Chicken- I like to use boneless cut into cubes.
• Italian seasoning- This brings all the best spices rolled into one.
• Salt- Add as needed to prevent pasta from being too salty.
• Pepper- Per preference, depending on what spice level you like.
• Butter- Use unsalted for best results.
• Garlic- Adds a nice, bold flavor.
• Ginger- Brings in a great aroma and combines well with garlic.
• Lemon juice- Adds a nice tangy kick, but not too bold.
• Lemon zest- Compliments the garlic flavor and adds to the juice.
• Water- You can also use half chicken broth and half water.
• Spaghetti noodles- Be sure they are uncooked.
• Cream cheese- Use full fat for the best flavor.
• Parmesan cheese- To bring in some of that wonderful cheesy taste.
• Cilantro or parsley- Chopped for garnishing.

Variations

• Add vegetables- Such as broccoli, spinach, kale, asparagus, peppers, sun dried tomatoes, or even us frozen vegetables for an easier version. To enhance the flavor of your vegetables, you can roast them, like I did in this Roasted Cauliflower Steak. With all this added goodness, this may start to look more like my Instant Pot Vegetable Pasta.
• Add meat- Such as Proscuitto, steak strips, or cubes of ham. If you are a fan of meatballs, you can also add those, but I just want to add that I also like these Cocktail Meatballs and Grape Jelly Meatballs just to snack on.
• Use various types of chicken- Including canned, whole, baked, grilled, roasted or rotisserie. You can also use leftovers from previous meals like Instant Pot Whole Chicken (Rotisserie Chicken), Oven Baked Spatchcock Chicken (One Pan), or Easy Instant Pot Shredded Chicken.
• Tomato sauce- Can be added for a new flavor much like my Spaghetti and Meatballs.
• Use various herbs and spices- Such as Basil, Rosemary, or Oregano.
• Make it cheesier- By trying a three cheese blend, such as Mozzarella, Monterey Jack, and Cheddar. You could even use Cheddar Cheese Sauce.
• Substitute other noodles- Instead of spaghetti, try Penne, Fettuccine, Rigatoni, or Farfalle.
• Bake it- Mix together the cooked noodles, cooked garlic, chicken, cream cheese, and mozzarella cheese in a greased 9x13 pan. Cover it with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Take it a step further and add breadcrumbs and broil until browned in the last 5 minutes without foil until crispy and golden brown.
• Make it creamier- Mix in 2-3 tablespoon heavy cream at the end. If you like your pasta extra creamy, I suggest trying my Creamy Mushroom Pasta as well.
• Use roasted garlic- In this recipe to really enhance the garlic flavor.
• Turn this into a pasta salad- You can prepare the chicken in this recipe, as explained below, and then mix it with boiled bow tie pasta and lots of cheese and lemon juice.
• Healthy version- Reduce the amount of butter and use fat free cream cheese and low fat parmesan cheese. You can even take it a step further and use Zucchini Noodles instead of spaghetti.

How to make easy one pot butter garlic chicken pasta recipe from scratch?

1. Cook chicken- In oil until golden brown.
2. Add butter and saute- The ginger, garlic, Italian seasoning.
3. Pour in- Water, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
4. Add spaghetti noodles- And cook until al dente.
5. Toss in cheese- And stir until fully melted and combined with pasta.
6. Garnish- With fresh herbs and enjoy!

What to serve with creamy garlic chicken pasta?

• Bread- Breadsticks, garlic bread, dinner rolls, buttered toast.
• Salads- Easy Green Salad (One Bowl) or Cucumber Radish Salad (One Bowl) or even this Easy Kale Salad (One Bowl)
• Grilled, baked or steamed vegetables- These Oven Roasted Vegetables (One Pan) and Oven Roasted Beets (One Pan) and Oven Roasted Broccoli (One Pan) are all delicious options.

Tips and Techniques

• If the pasta is not cooked through and looks dry- Add a little more water and cook for a bit longer.
• Don't overcook the past either- Becauase then it becomes mushy and slimy.
• Use half low sodium chicken broth and half water- To enhance the flavor even further.
• Use unsalted butter- Instead of salted butter or else the pasta can become very salty.
• Make sure to use a nonstick pan/skillet- So that there is no sticky mess.
• Don't omit the lemon zest or lemon juice- Because it adds so much flavor and tastes very bland without it.
• Be careful when sauteing garlic and ginger- Because you need to keep a close eye on them to prevent burning.

Recipe FAQs

Storage

• Refrigerate- This can be kept in a sealed container for up to 2 days.
• Freeze- I don't recommend freezing this, because the noodles can become soggy and start to disintegrate when reheated again.
• Reheat- Microwave or place in a pot over the stove.
• Make ahead- You can make this dish and store it in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 2 days before serving. Microwave or place in a pot over the stove to reheat.

More One Pot Pasta Recipes

• Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta (One Pot)
• Cajun Chicken Pasta (One Pot)
• Basil Peso Pasta Recipe (One Pot)
• Zucchini Noodles With Pesto (One Pot)
• Penne Alla Vodka (One Pot)

Recipe