Beach Street Lemon Chicken Pasta
Mels Kitchen Cafe "One of my favorite pasta dishes ever, this Beach Street lemon chicken pasta is amazing! It’s a simple recipe that comes together fast with incredible flavor!"
Prep Time 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins
Cook Time 12 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 37 minutes mins
Pasta
- 1 lb linguine, spaghetti or fettuccine
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp fresh lemon zest one medium lemon
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice 1-2 lemons
- 2-3 green onions finely chopped white and green parts
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 to 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
Marinade
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed or finely minced
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp cajun seasoning see note
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice about 2-3 medium lemons
- 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1- 1 1/2 lbs chicken breasts sliced into 1/2 inch strips or bite-sized pieces
Marinade
For the marinade, combine the olive oil, garlic, brown sugar, cajun seasoning, lemon juice,parsley, and soy sauce.
Toss the marinade and chicken together in a shallow dish or ziploc bag. Cover and refrigerate at least an hour or up to 12 (better flavor the longer it marinades).
Pasta
Combine juice of one lemon, lemon zest, olive oil, green onions and fresh parsleytogether in a small bowl. Set aside.
Cook pasta in lightly salted water until al dente according to package directions. Drain and return to the pot off the heat
Pour the lemon juice/olive oil/greenonion mixture over pasta and toss lightly to combine. Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium heat; add the marinade AND the chicken to the skillet, moving the chicken pieces so they are in asingle layer. Cook over medium-high heat until the chicken is cooked through, 4-5 minutes.
Add the pasta to the skillet with the chicken OR pour the chicken and cooked marinade over the pastain the pot (whichever will fit the mixture best). Toss with Parmesan cheese and season to tastewith salt and pepper, if needed. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Updates: over the years, I've increased the amount of chicken in the recipe (and also the marinade accordingly). If you're looking for the original amounts, they are 2 chicken breasts and the followingfor the marinade 1/2 cup olive oil, 2 garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon cajun seasoning, juice of one lemon,2 tablespoons minced parsley, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 tablespoons soy sauce.
Cajun Seasoning:
different brands will have a different flavor profile, but all will carry a bit of heat.You can dial the amount in the recipe up or down as needed, but don't leave it out completely! For flavor without a lot of heat, try 1 teaspoon.