Creamy Lemon Ricotta Pasta with Chicken

Fresh lemon is such a staple in my household in the Spring! It’s bright, flavorful, and truly the epitome of this time of year for me. And let me tell you… this spring-inspired lemon pasta is a dream! Creamy ricotta with fresh lemon, tender pasta, and juicy pan-seared chicken makes the absolute best dinner combination that’s both flavorful and comforting. If you love lemon + ricotta, then you’ll definitely want to try this Creamy Lemon Ricotta Pasta with Chicken.

Nutritional benefits of this recipe

• Chicken is rich in tryptophan, which promotes serotonin. Also rich zinc, selenium, iron, and b-vitamins. Eating protein helps regulate cravings, hunger, blood sugar, weight, and energy. 
• Lemon is rich in Vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, and folate. It’s great for immunity, vibrancy, detoxification, digestion, and more!
• Shallots are rich in antioxidants and compounds that support heart health, reduce inflammation, and help regulate blood sugar.
• Garlic cloves contain allicin, a powerful natural compound known for boosting immunity, supporting cardiovascular health, and offering antibacterial and antiviral benefits.
• Baby spinach is packed with vitamins A, C, and K, along with iron and folate, supporting immune health, strong bones, and healthy blood. It’s also rich in antioxidants that help reduce inflammation and protect your cells.
• For the healthiest noodles, I recommend buying Italian imported noodles that are organic. The regulations for wheat are much more strict in Italy, so the quality is much better. Nowadays, you can find imported noodles from Italy in most grocery stores. 
• For the healthiest ricotta and parmesan, I always recommend buying pasture-raised / grass-fed dairy. Better yet, if you can support a local farm that has grass-fed cows and dairy products, then do that!

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Ingredients for Lemon Ricotta Pasta with Chicken

Chicken

Pasta – I used Toscani, but any other short pasta should work like rigatoni, mezzi rigatoni, bow-tie, etc. If you use a long pasta like fettuccine, then you just may not want to directly toss the pasta with the sauce – it’ll be easier to just serve the sauce over a bed of pasta!

Lemon – fresh lemon! You’ll want both the zest and the juice.

Reserved pasta water

Whole-milk ricotta

Broth

Shallots

Fresh garlic cloves

Baby spinach

Avocado oil

Spices – Italian seasoning, garlic, onion, salt, pepper

Fresh grated parmesan

How to make Lemon Ricotta Pasta with Chicken

1. Prep the pasta: Cook to package instructions, and add plenty of salt to the water for better flavor (and salt makes the water boil quicker!). Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
2. Thinly slice the shallot and mince the garlic because you’ll need them ready immediately after the chicken.
3. Slice the chicken in half horizontally into thinner cutlets, then cover with plastic wrap and pound to even thickness. In a small bowl, combine the spices. Then sprinkle the spices onto both sides of the chicken.
4. Preheat a large pan to medium-high heat with avocado oil. Once hot, add the chicken in a single layer. Sear for 1 1/2 – 3 minutes on each side, depending on thickness, until cooked through (165ºF in the center). Remove from pan and place onto a plate.
5. Immediately reduce to low heat and add the thinly sliced shallots. Stir for 30 seconds, then add the minced garlic and stir for another 30 seconds. Pour 1/3 cup of broth into the pan to deglaze, scraping up all the brown pieces from the bottom of the pan and incorporating into the dish – this all has so much flavor!
6. Pour in the 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water (if the pasta isn’t done at this point, then remove the pan from the heat so that you don’t simmer off all the broth – then just put the pan back onto the heat once you have the pasta water ready).
7. Add the spinach to the pan and stir around for a minute or two until wilted – the steaming broth and pasta water will cook it down pretty quickly. I know it seems like a lot of spinach at first but it cooks down a lot.
8. Add the container of ricotta cheese and incorporate into the dish.
9. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and the salt and incorporate. I used 2 large lemons (both zest and juice), but adjust to taste – this will be personal preference, especially since every lemon is different in size and juiciness.
10. Slice up the chicken, add to the sauce, and heat for a minute to make sure the chicken is hot again.
11. To serve: Either serve the sauce directly over the cooked pasta, or toss everything together to coat all the pasta. Garnish with fresh grated parmesan, lemon zest, and thinly sliced chives.

Equipment needed

Meat tenderizer – for pounding the chicken – helps make it tender and juicy and makes it cook faster and more evenly.

Meat thermometer – so that you never overcook or undercook meat!

Baking sheets – I use stainless steel

Pot for cooking pasta

Large pan for cooking the chicken and the sauce (one pan)

How to store and reheat this Lemon Ricotta Pasta with Chicken

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

To reheat leftovers: Put a serving of pasta into a pot and add a generous splash of milk. If heating more than one serving, then add more milk accordingly. The milk really helps the sauce become creamy again, so don’t skimp too much on it! Heat on medium and stir often until hot.

Some notes:

• I tossed the pasta together with the sauce and chicken personally. If you are using a long pasta like fettuccine, then you’ll likely want to just serve the sauce over the pasta instead of tossing together.
• I always recommend testing the chicken with a meat thermometer – it should be 165ºF in the center – this way you don’t have to slice into it (letting juices escape and therefore making it tough) and you also don’t end up overcooking it.. Mine was about 2 minutes on each side. Remove from pan and place onto a plate, cover, and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing to keep the chicken juicy.

Other recipes you’ll love

Whipped Lemon Feta Pasta

Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta Bowls

Lemon Chicken Farro Soup

I hope you love this Lemon Ricotta Pasta with Chicken! Please be sure to leave a comment and a rating if you give it a try. I would love to know how it turned out for you!

Verse of the Day: “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” – Galatians 5:13

Lemon Ricotta Pasta with Chicken

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This spring-inspired pasta is a dream! Creamy ricotta with fresh lemon, tender pasta, and juicy pan-seared chicken makes the absolute best dinner combination. 

• Author: Christine Manes
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings 1x
• Category: Dinner, Lunch
• Method: Stovetop

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Pasta:

12 oz pasta of choice – I used Toscani

1/2 cup of cooked pasta water reserved for sauce

Chicken:

1 1/2 lb chicken breast, sliced in half into cutlets and pounded to even thickness

1 tsp italian seasoning

1 tsp granulated garlic

1/2 tsp granulated onion

1/2 tsp salt

Fresh cracked black pepper

2 Tbsp avocado oil, for cooking

Sauce:

1 shallot, thinly sliced

2 large garlic cloves, minced

1/3 cup broth or white wine, for deglazing

1/2 cup reserved pasta water

5-oz container of baby spinach (it cooks down a ton!)

15-oz container whole milk ricotta cheese

1–2 large lemons, juiced and zested, to preference – I used 2!

1/4 tsp salt, to taste

For garnishing:

Fresh grated parmesan – don’t skip this! It adds so much amazing flavor.

Lemon zest

Thinly sliced chives

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Instructions

1. Prep the pasta: Cook to package instructions, and add plenty of salt to the water for better flavor (and salt makes the water boil quicker!). Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
2. Thinly slice the shallot and mince the garlic because you’ll need them ready immediately after the chicken.
3. Slice the chicken in half horizontally into thinner cutlets, then cover with plastic wrap and pound to even thickness. In a small bowl, combine the spices. Then sprinkle the spices onto both sides of the chicken.
4. Preheat a large pan to medium-high heat with avocado oil. Once hot, add the chicken in a single layer. Sear for 1 1/2 – 3 minutes on each side, depending on thickness, until cooked through (165ºF in the center). Remove from pan and place onto a plate.
5. Immediately reduce to low heat and add the thinly sliced shallots. Stir for 30 seconds, then add the minced garlic and stir for another 30 seconds. Pour 1/3 cup of broth into the pan to deglaze, scraping up all the brown pieces from the bottom of the pan and incorporating into the dish – this all has so much flavor!
6. Pour in the 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water (if the pasta isn’t done at this point, then remove the pan from the heat so that you don’t simmer off all the broth – then just put the pan back onto the heat once you have the pasta water ready).
7. Add the spinach to the pan and stir around for a minute or two until wilted – the steaming broth and pasta water will cook it down pretty quickly. I know it seems like a lot of spinach at first but it cooks down a lot.
8. Add the container of ricotta cheese and incorporate into the dish.
9. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and the salt and incorporate. I used 2 large lemons (both zest and juice), but adjust to taste – this will be personal preference, especially since every lemon is different in size and juiciness.
10. Slice up the chicken, add to the sauce, and heat for a minute to make sure the chicken is hot again.
11. To serve: Either serve the sauce directly over the cooked pasta, or toss everything together to coat all the pasta. Garnish with fresh grated parmesan, lemon zest, and thinly sliced chives.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

To reheat leftovers: Put a serving of pasta into a pot and add a generous splash of milk. If heating more than one serving, then add more milk accordingly. The milk really helps the sauce become creamy again, so don’t skimp too much on it! Heat on medium and stir often until hot.

Notes:

• I tossed the pasta together with the sauce and chicken personally. If you are using a long pasta like fettuccine, then you’ll likely want to just serve the sauce over the pasta instead of tossing together.
• I always recommend testing the chicken with a meat thermometer – it should be 165ºF in the center – this way you don’t have to slice into it (letting juices escape and therefore making it tough) and you also don’t end up overcooking it.. Mine was about 2 minutes on each side. Remove from pan and place onto a plate, cover, and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing to keep the chicken juicy.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1/6 of dish
• Calories: 520
• Fat: 18
• Carbohydrates: 48
• Fiber: 3
• Protein: 40

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