Lemon Parmesan Pasta and Chicken

🍋🍝✨ Creamy Lemon Parmesan Chicken & Pasta is a family favorite that you won’t want to miss! The crispy chicken cutlets are so delicious, they shine all on their own!

Now, let me share a little about my relationship with chicken and pasta. Growing up in a traditional Italian American family, mixing chicken into my pasta was a definite NO. In fact, in Italy, you’d never find chicken mingling with pasta dishes—it’s just not done!

But my workout-loving kids are always craving more protein with their meals, so I decided to create this recipe just for them. The twist? I usually serve the chicken as a second dish rather than mixing it into the pasta. I pair it with a simple salad to complete the meal! This approach not only satisfies my family’s protein needs but also helps me stay true to my culinary roots. It’s a win-win! But you can serve the cutlet right on top of the pasta as well or mixed in, it is delicious. 

INGREDIENTS 

(Serves 4)

CHICKEN CUTLETS

8 Chicken Cutlets, sliced thin and pounded

2 Eggs, beaten

¾ Cups Flour

½ tsp. Salt

⅛ tsp. Black Pepper

1 ¾ Cup Panko Bread Crumbs 

1 Cup Freshly Grated Pecorino Romano

3 tbsp. Fresh Parsley, chopped 

½ Cup Olive Oil

THE SAUCE

4 oz Pancetta, chopped into tiny cubes 

4 tbsp. Butter

2 tbsp. Olive Oil

1 Small Onion (about 6 oz), chopped finely

¼ tsp. Red Pepper Flakes

1 tsp. Salt

½ tsp. Black Pepper

2 Cups Fresh Spinach, chopped

2 tsp. Lemon zest and 6 tbsp. Lemon Juice (about 2 ½ lemons)

1 Cup Heavy Cream

1 ½ Cups Freshly Grated Pecorino Romano

¾ lb. Pasta, I used Fusilli

METHOD

Heat a large pot of pasta water.

For breading the chicken. I set up at breading station.

Put flour in a small bowl and mix with ½ tsp. salt and ⅛ tsp. pepper. 

In another bowl, mix Panko breadcrumbs, Pecorino, and parsley.

Beat the eggs in a separate bowl. 

Dip the cutlet on both sides in the flour. Then dip it in the egg (coating completely). 

Then coat in the bread crumbs on both sides. Do this for all the cutlets. 

Heat a ½ cup olive oil in a large skillet on a low flame. 

Cook the cutlets (a few at a time) for about 4 minutes on either side. Remove from the pan, place on a wire rack and finish cooking the rest of the cutlets. 

Once all the cutlets are cooked, clean out the frying pan. 

Heat the frying pan for a minute and add in the pancetta. Cook until the pancetta is crispy. Remove from the pan.  

Add in the butter and olive oil and heat on low until the butter melts. 

Add in the onions and red pepper flakes. 

When the onions are translucent, season with salt and pepper and add in the spinach. 

Add in the zest. Combine and cook for one minute then add in the lemon juice. 

Boil and drain the pasta 

Bring the sauce to a slight simmer and add in the heavy cream. 

Cook the sauce for 2 minutes and add in the Pecorino. 

Combine well. Add in the drained pasta, combine and then add in the pancetta.

Serve with the chicken