Lemon Brûlée Chicken Pasta (Printable)

A vibrant dish of tender chicken with caramelized lemon crust and creamy, zesty pasta finished with fresh parsley.

# Ingredient List:

→ Lemon Brûlée Chicken

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
03 - Zest of 1 lemon
04 - 1 teaspoon sea salt
05 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
06 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Pasta

07 - 11 ounces dried linguine or spaghetti
08 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
10 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
11 - Zest and juice of 2 lemons
12 - 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream
13 - 2 ounces grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
14 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

16 - Extra lemon zest
17 - Additional Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
18 - Fresh parsley leaves

# Directions:

01 - Pat chicken breasts dry and season evenly with sea salt, black pepper, and lemon zest. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and sear chicken for 4 to 5 minutes per side until almost cooked through. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon granulated sugar on top of each breast and brûlée the sugar using a kitchen torch until golden and caramelized, or broil for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to rest before slicing thinly.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Cook linguine or spaghetti until al dente following the package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining the pasta.
03 - Melt butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in lemon zest and lemon juice, then pour in heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Incorporate grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, stirring until melted and smooth. Season the sauce with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss the drained pasta into the sauce, adding reserved pasta water incrementally to achieve a silky consistency.
04 - Divide the pasta evenly among serving plates, top with sliced lemon brûlée chicken, and garnish with extra lemon zest, additional Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and fresh parsley leaves.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like sunshine decided to crash a creamy pasta party.
  • The caramelized crust on the chicken adds a surprise sweetness that somehow makes sense.
  • You get to use a kitchen torch on a weeknight, which feels wonderfully unnecessary.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully and taste even brighter the next day.
02 -
  • If you skip drying the chicken, the sugar won't caramelize and you'll just have wet, gritty chicken.
  • Don't let the garlic brown or the whole sauce will taste bitter and burnt.
  • Add pasta water slowly, it's easier to loosen a tight sauce than fix a watery one.
  • Let the chicken rest before slicing or all the juice runs out and it turns dry.
03 -
  • Zest the lemons before you juice them, it's nearly impossible the other way around.
  • Use the same skillet for the chicken and sauce to save dishes and keep all the browned bits.
  • Taste the sauce before adding the pasta, it should be almost too lemony because the pasta will mellow it out.
  • If the chicken crust softens after resting, hit it with the torch again right before serving.
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