Time
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Prep: 15 minutes
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Cook: 30 minutes
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Total: ~45 minutes
🍽 Serves
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4
📝 INGREDIENTS
🍗 Chicken
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4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)
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1 teaspoon salt
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½ teaspoon black pepper
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½ teaspoon paprika
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1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
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2 tablespoons olive oil
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2 tablespoons butter
🍋 Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce
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4 cloves garlic, minced
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1 cup chicken broth
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½ cup heavy cream
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⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
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Zest of 1 lemon
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Juice of ½ lemon
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½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
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Salt & pepper, to taste
🍝 Creamy Parmesan Pasta
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12 oz (340 g) pasta (fettuccine, penne, or linguine)
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1 tablespoon butter
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½ cup heavy cream
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½ cup grated Parmesan
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¼ teaspoon garlic powder
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Salt & pepper, to taste
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Reserved pasta water (½ cup)
👩🍳 STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
1️⃣ Cook the pasta
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Cook pasta until al dente.
Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain.
2️⃣ Season & sear chicken
Pat chicken dry.
Season both sides with salt, pepper, paprika, and Italian seasoning.
Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Sear chicken 5–6 minutes per side until golden and cooked through.
Remove and set aside.
3️⃣ Make lemon garlic butter sauce
Lower heat to medium.
Add garlic to the same skillet and sauté 30 seconds.
Pour in chicken broth; scrape up browned bits.
Simmer 2–3 minutes.
Stir in:
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Heavy cream
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Parmesan
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Lemon zest
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Lemon juice
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Red pepper flakes
Simmer 3–4 minutes until slightly thick.
4️⃣ Return chicken
Add chicken back to skillet.
Spoon sauce over top.
Simmer 5 minutes until sauce coats chicken.
5️⃣ Make creamy Parmesan pasta
In a separate pan (or use drained pasta pot):
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Melt butter
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Add cream, garlic powder, salt & pepper
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Stir in Parmesan
Add cooked pasta + reserved pasta water a little at a time.
Toss until creamy and silky.
6️⃣ Serve
Plate pasta first, top with chicken, and drizzle lemon garlic butter sauce generously.
🍽 SERVING IDEAS
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Add steamed broccoli or spinach
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Pair with garlic bread
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Finish with extra Parmesan & parsley
🔄 VARIATIONS
🥬 Lighter Version
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Use half-and-half instead of cream
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Use chicken thighs for juicier texture
🌶 Spicy
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Add more red pepper flakes or chili oil
🧀 Extra Creamy
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Add 2 oz cream cheese to sauce
🍤 Swap Protein
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Works beautifully with shrimp or salmon
🔥 PRO TIPS
✔ Zest lemon before juicing
✔ Don’t overcook chicken
✔ Use freshly grated Parmesan
✔ Pasta water = smooth sauce
🧠 NUTRITION (Approx.)
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Calories: ~620 per serving
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Protein: ~38g
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Carbs: ~45g
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Fat: ~32g