• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

In the Kitch

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Patriotic Recipes
  • Recipe Index
  • Guides
  • Tutorials
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Patriotic Recipes
    • Recipe Index
    • Guides
    • Tutorials
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×
    In the Kitch » Recipes » Main Course

    Updated: Apr 29, 2025 · Published: Sep 14, 2022 by Joss Dyckson · This post may contain affiliate links ·

    Lemon Basil Pasta (with Chicken)

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video
    Images of lemon basil pasta in dish with text overlay that says 'Lemon Basil Chicken Pasta'.
    Lemon basil pasta in green pasta bowl with text overlay that says 'creamy lemon basil pasta'.

    Thin and delicate angel hair noodles are paired with a creamy, zesty white wine sauce, fresh basil and golden cubes of chicken breast. Freshly grated Parmesan cheese adds the final touch to this lemon basil pasta that comes together in less than 30 minutes.

    Lemon basil pasta on white plate with lemons, grated Parmesan and fresh basil on the side.

    This pasta recipe is great if you are looking for a creamy yet light meal that will keep you satisfied as well. To add to the meal, it can be served with oven roasted white asparagus and white sangria.

    Although some of the ingredients like angel hair pasta, basil and lemon juice sound simple, their unique textures and flavors help this dish come together for a delicious dinner recipe.

    I also have these other noodle dishes I think you'll love: keto zucchini zoodles, kimchi udon noodles and chicken lo mein stir fry.

    Jump to:
    • 🍋 Ingredients
    • 🍜 Angel Hair Noodles
    • 🔪 How to Make Lemon Basil Pasta
    • 🥗 What to Serve With Lemon Basil Pasta
    • ✅ Joss' Tips
    • 🌡️ Storage
    • ❤️ More Zesty Lemon Recipes You Will Love
    • 📋Recipe

    🍋 Ingredients

    Lemon basil pasta with chicken ingredients prepped and labeled.
    • angel hair pasta - You can also use capellini noodles if you can't find angel hair as they're only slightly thicker.
    • chicken breast - For best results, get some fresh chicken with a pinkish hue. Frozen, thawed chicken breast will work too.
    • white wine - Use a dry white wine like Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc.
    • heavy cream - Can contain between 36% to 40% milk fat. You can substitute with whipping cream for a lighter option (it contains as low as 30% milk fat).
    • fresh basil - I use regular sweet basil, the most common kind found in the grocery stores, but if you can find lemon basil that would add extra lemony flavor. The fresh basil is added to the sauce towards the end of the cook to retain its aroma and flavor.

    *Check recipe card for ingredient amounts.

    🍜 Angel Hair Noodles

    Angel hair pasta in pot.

    What makes angel hair pasta different from other pasta types are its thinness and quickness. It is commonly compared to spaghetti, but much finer. It is often used in recipes with simple ingredients like olive oil, butter, cherry tomatoes, or a cream sauce like in this recipe.

    Because of its thin strands, angel hair cooks quicker than other pasta. While some pasta takes 8 to 12 minutes to cook it until al dente, angel hair can take as little as 3 to 5 minutes, making this a great recipe if you have limited time.

    If need be, you can use capellini noodles as a substitution. They are only slightly thicker than angel hair.

    🔪 How to Make Lemon Basil Pasta

    Bowl of cooked angel hair noodles.

    Step 1. Cook the pasta. Cook the pasta al dente, according to package instructions, drain and toss it with some olive oil.

    Fried chicken breast cubes in pan.

    Step 2. Fry the chicken. Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the chicken, season with salt and pepper, and fry until golden and cooked through. Reserve.

    Butter melying with garlic in pan.

    Step 3. Cook garlic. Heat the same pan to medium heat and melt the butter in it. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

    Cream sauce in pan.

    Step 4. Make sauce. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the lemon juice, white wine, cream and basil. Season with salt and pepper. Stir until heated through.

    Angel hair noodles with creamy lemon basil sauce in pan.

    Step 5. Toss. Toss the pasta with the sauce.

    Angel hair pasta twirled around a fork.

    Step 6. Serve. Serve the lemon basil pasta topped with the chicken, freshly grated Parmesan and fresh basil leaves.

    🥗 What to Serve With Lemon Basil Pasta

    If you would like to add more vegetables to this dish, I recommend a green or red vegetable for more color to contrast the creamy yet bright pasta. A personal favorite is grilled broccoli because broccoli is a common pairing with chicken and cream sauces.

    If you want to make it feel more sophisticated, a light asparagus side dish is a great suggestion.

    As for other side dishes, you could go with garlic bread (try my pumpkin garlic naan) to soak up all of that creamy sauce. It can also complement the pasta with a good crunch.

    For a healthier alternative, a simple salad like this hemp heart salad with a homemade vinaigrette will pair well with this dish. The fresh vegetables and vinaigrette will fit appropriately with the brightness of the pasta.

    ✅ Joss' Tips

    • Add enough water to cook the pasta. For each pound of pasta, 4 quarts of water is needed in the pot for cooking.
    • Separate the noodles. As soon as the pasta hits the water, be sure to stir and separate the strands so that they don't stick together.
    • Don't rinse. Don't rinse the pasta after cooking. You only need to do that for cold dishes.

    🌡️ Storage

    Leftovers can be stored for up to 3 to 4 days in a covered container in the fridge.

    Lemon basil pasta with cubes of chicken breast in green bowl.

    ❤️ More Zesty Lemon Recipes You Will Love

    • Graham wafer lemon bars stacked on purple napkin.
      Graham Wafer Lemon Bars
    • Lemonade in jars with basil and blue straws.
      How to Make Lemonade
    • Iced lemon mousse in small jars.
      Iced Lemon Mousse
    • Lemon pepper chicken wings with lemon wedges on wooden cutting board.
      Electric Skillet Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings

    If you tried this 🍋 Lemon Basil Pasta Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. And please share the recipe!

    📋Recipe

    Lemon basil pasta with chicken and Parmesan cheese on plate.

    Lemon Basil Pasta (With Chicken)

    Joss Dyckson
    In this lemon basil pasta, thin angel hair noodles are paired with a creamy, zesty white wine sauce, fresh basil, Parmesan and golden cubes of chicken breast.
    5 from 2 votes
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved!
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 20 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 6
    Calories 465 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    For the Pasta

    • 1 pound angel hair pasta - or capellini1
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil - divided
    • 1 ½ pounds chicken breast - cubed
    • 1 tablespoon butter
    • 3 garlic cloves - minced
    • ½ cup lemon juice - freshly squeezed
    • ½ cup white wine - like Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc
    • 1 cup heavy cream
    • ½ cup basil leaves - thinly sliced
    • salt and pepper - to taste

    To Serve

    • fresh basil leaves
    • Parmesan cheese - freshly grated

    Instructions
     

    • Cook the pasta al dente, according to package instructions. Drain the pasta and toss it with 1 tablespoon of olive oil so that it doesn’t stick together. Reserve.
      1 pound angel hair pasta
    • Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the chicken, season with salt and pepper, and fry until golden and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan and reserve.
      1 ½ pounds chicken breast
    • Heat the same pan to medium heat and melt the butter in it. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
      1 tablespoon butter, 3 garlic cloves
    • Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the lemon juice, white wine, cream and basil. Season with salt and pepper. Stir until heated through.
      ½ cup lemon juice, ½ cup white wine, 1 cup heavy cream, ½ cup basil leaves
    • Toss the pasta with the sauce.
    • Serve the pasta topped with the chicken, freshly grated Parmesan and fresh basil leaves.

    Equipment

    • Frying pan

    Notes

    1. If need be, you can use capellini noodles as a substitution for the angel hair. They are only slightly thicker than angel hair noodles.
    2. Angel hair cooks quicker than regular spaghetti. It will take about only 3 to 5 minutes to cook it al dente.
    3. For each pound of pasta, 4 quarts of water is needed in the pot for cooking.
    4. As soon as the pasta hits the water, be sure to stir and separate the strands so that they don't stick together.
    5. Don't rinse the pasta after cooking. You only need to do that for cold dishes.
    6. Leftovers can be stored for up to 3 to 4 days in a covered container in the fridge.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 465kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 30gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 122mgSodium: 160mgPotassium: 538mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 782IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 47mgIron: 2mg

    Nutrition information on In the Kitch is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may not include toppings and/or sauces.

    Want to see our recipes in action?Subscribe to our channel on Youtube!

    More Simple & Amazing Main Course Recipes

    • Greek lemon chicken thighs and baby potatoes on plate.
      Easy Skillet Greek Lemon Chicken Thighs
    • Mexican shredded chicken with salsa verde in dark bowl with spoon over rice.
      Slow Cooker Mexican Shredded Chicken
    • Lamb chops on plate.
      Electric Skillet Lamb Chops
    • Chickpea and salmon salad in bowl with lemon slices.
      Easy Chickpea Salmon Salad
    179 shares
    • Share49
    • Tweet
    • Email
    • Bluesky
    • Reddit

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      5 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Joss says

      April 29, 2025 at 7:48 pm

      This is absolutely delicious, easy to make and full of zesty flavor. I like to serve it when we have company or for date night.

      Reply
    2. Dylan Frercks says

      June 16, 2023 at 3:44 pm

      I really enjoyed this recipe. Added Parmesan to the sauce while reducing to make it a tad thicker 🙂

      Reply
      • Joss D says

        June 16, 2023 at 4:20 pm

        Good to hear, Dylan! Thanks for letting me know.

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Joss D author image.

    Hi, I'm Joss!

    I am the creator and editor of In the Kitch. I am inviting you on this food journey with me to learn, grow and bring out that inner chef in you. I hope to inspire you to get creative in your own kitchen!

    More about me →

    Patriotic Recipes

    • 4th of July themed charcuterie board on red plate with red, white and blue stars.
      4th of July Charcuterie Board
    • 4th of July pulled pork sliders on parchment lined serving tray.
      4th of July Pulled Pork Sliders
    • Blueberry mojito mocktail with fresh mint in cocktail glass.
      Blueberry Mojito Mocktail
    • Canada Day raspberry cheesecake in jars with red and white spoons.
      Raspberry Cheesecake in a Jar (Canada Day Dessert)
    • Bison burger with toothpick on cutting board.
      Bison Burgers
    • Strawberry crumble in tart dish with vanilla ice cream and spoon.
      Easy Strawberry Crumble

    Popular

    • Strawberry slushy margarita with mint leaves.
      How to Make a Slushy Margarita
    • Cake pop frosting in bowl with spatula.
      Cake Pop Frosting & Coating
    • Sliced candied limes on wooden counter.
      How to Candy Limes
    • Hamburger scrambled eggs in cast iron pan.
      Hamburger Scrambled Eggs
    • Electric skillet fried chicken in a dish.
      Electric Skillet Fried Chicken
    • Electric skillet pot roast with vegetables on serving tray.
      Electric Skillet Pot Roast

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    In the Kitch

    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Disclaimer
    • Accessibility Statement

    About

    • About
    • The Team

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2025 In the Kitch

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.