Brown Butter Lemon Chicken Pasta (Printable version)

Tender chicken and spaghetti tossed in nutty brown butter with bright lemon and fresh herbs. Ready in 35 minutes.

# Needed ingredients:

→ Poultry

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 14 oz), sliced into strips
02 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
03 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
04 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

→ Pasta

05 - 12 ounces dried spaghetti

→ Sauce

06 - 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
07 - Zest and juice of 1 large lemon (about 2 tablespoons juice)
08 - 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
09 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
10 - 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
11 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

→ For Searing & Finishing

12 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
13 - Extra lemon wedges for serving

# How to make it:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, then drain.
02 - Season the chicken strips with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sear 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil.
04 - Reduce heat to medium. Add butter to the skillet and let it melt. Continue cooking, swirling occasionally, until butter foams and turns golden brown with a nutty aroma (about 3 minutes). Watch carefully to avoid burning.
05 - Add minced garlic, red pepper flakes, and lemon zest. Sauté 30 seconds until fragrant.
06 - Add cooked spaghetti, chicken, lemon juice, and half the Parmesan to the skillet. Toss well, adding reserved pasta water as needed to create a glossy sauce.
07 - Remove from heat. Stir in parsley and remaining Parmesan. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
08 - Serve immediately with extra lemon wedges.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The brown butter creates an incredibly rich, nutty sauce base that feels luxurious but comes together in minutes
  • Lemon brightens everything perfectly, cutting through the richness so you never feel weighed down
  • This pasta somehow manages to taste like a restaurant dish while being made entirely from pantry staples
02 -
  • Browned butter goes from perfect to burnt in seconds, so stand right at the stove and watch for that golden color transformation
  • The pasta water is crucial for creating that silky restaurant-style sauce that actually clings to every strand
  • Adding lemon juice at the end preserves its bright acidity since heat can make cooked lemon taste strangely flat
03 -
  • Pat the chicken completely dry before seasoning it or youll end up steaming instead of searing
  • Room temperature butter browns more evenly and predictably than cold butter straight from the fridge
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