10-Minute Easy Lemon Chicken Pasta

Who doesn’t need some 10 minute dinners that you can toss together after a long day at work? This 10-Minute Easy Lemon Chicken Pasta is the perfect weeknight meal. By using canned chicken, leftover grilled or rotisserie chicken, this meal an be on the table in just minutes.

In the time it takes to cook the spaghetti, you can have the perfect sauce for this 10-Minute Easy Lemon Chicken Pasta dish.

How To Make Easy Lemon Chicken Pasta Recipe in Ten Minutes

Cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain.  In the meantime, melt butter in a skillet. Add lemon, whipping cream and chicken.  Once the pasta is cooked, add to the butter mixture. Add fresh lemon juice and cheese. Enjoy!

Full recipe for canned chicken pasta with lemon can be found below. 

Notes Lemon Chicken Pasta with Canned Chicken Recipe

This version can be modified in several ways to suit your family. Barbara uses canned chicken, a new favorite staple at her house. If you have leftover grilled chicken (try ours) or rotisserie chicken, you can definitely use in this dish. The pre-cooked or pre-grilled chicken in the refrigerated section of the grocery store will work in this too.

You can also use any variety of spaghetti. We like whole wheat spaghetti. (Here’s a secret…don’t have any spaghetti in your pantry? Use whatever pasta you have on hand!)

Also, we used shredded Parmesan cheese because that is what was in Barbara’s refrigerator, but grated Parmesan would work fine too.

The only ingredients that should NOT be substituted is the lemon peel and fresh lemon juice. The bottled lemon juice just doesn’t pack the flavor needed for this dish.

Other Canned Chicken Recipes to Try

Do you love canned chicken recipes as much as we do?  Using canned chicken is a great way to prepare dinner in a snap.  For healthier canned chicken, rinse the chicken to remove excess sodium. Drain completely.

Try these other recipes featuring canned chicken.

• 5-Minute Low Carb Lemon Chicken Salad
• 3-Ingredient Chicken Salad

If you are concerned that the chicken is raw when you open the can, do not fret.  The canning process cooks the chicken completely even if it does have a pink color to it when you open it.  There is no need to cook the canned chicken before eating.  You truly could open the can of chicken breast, drain and eat.

Print

10-Minute Easy Lemon Chicken Pasta

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

10 mins

 

This 10-Minute Easy Lemon Chicken Pasta is the perfect weeknight meal. By using canned chicken, leftover grilled or rotisserie chicken, this meal an be on the table in just minutes.

Servings: 4

Author: Barbara

Ingredients

• 8 oz. spaghetti regular or whole wheat
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1 12.5 oz. can chunk chicken, drained
• 1 Tablespoon grated lemon peel
• 1/4 cup whipping cream
• 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tablespoons Parmesan Cheese

Instructions

1. Cook spaghetti in boiling, salted water as directed on the package.
2. While the pasta is cooking, heat butter in a skillet over medium, low heat. Add grated lemon, whipping cream and drained chicken. Warm slowly, and gently break up chicken into large chunks.
3. Once spaghetti is cooked, use tongs to add to the skillet (this keeps a little pasta water on the spaghetti which helps the sauce). Add fresh lemon juice and cheese.
4. Toss to mix. If pasta seems a little dry, add a couple tablespoons of pasta water.
5. Top with additional lemon peel and cheese if desired.