This crispy lemon garlic chicken with spaghetti is the ultimate comfort meal that blends golden, crunchy chicken with buttery garlic-infused pasta. It’s pure joy and kind of addictive.
We are crazy about this hearty recipe – it has incredible taste and texture. It’s simple and speedy to make and perfectly balanced – crispy and fresh. The brightness of lemon and the richness of garlic butter is dreamy.
And if you love this crispy lemon garlic chicken with spaghetti recipe, check out our other mouth watering chicken recipes like San Marino chicken fideo soup, Instant Pot sesame garlic chicken wings and slow cooker soy honey garlic chicken.
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Why You’ll Love this Recipe
What’s not to love? Here are a few reasons to make this dish:
- Quick and easy: Ready in just 30 minutes, make it on busy weeknights or as a last-minute dinner.
- Family-friendly: Combines crispy, golden chicken and creamy garlic spaghetti—two favorites everyone will love.
- Versatile ingredients: Uses pantry staples as well as fresh ingredients.
- Restaurant quality at home: The crunchy chicken and zesty garlic butter sauce literally taste like something from your favorite restaurant without the crazy price tag.
- Customizable: Works great with different proteins, pasta types, and even gluten-free or vegetarian swaps.
- Crowd-pleaser: Everyone loves this recipe!
Ingredient and Substitution Notes
There are a fair amount of ingredients in this recipe. What’s key is to use the best quality you can.
Chicken:
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs): Breasts are lean and cook quickly, while thighs turn out juicier. Pound them evenly for consistent cooking.
- All-purpose flour: Helps the breading adhere to the chicken and ensures a crispy finish. Substitute with gluten-free flour if needed.
- Oregano: Adds a subtle earthy and aromatic flavor to the breading.
- Smoked paprika: Provides a smoky depth and beautiful color.
Breading:
- Eggs: Helps the flour and breadcrumbs stick to the chicken.
- Breadcrumbs (or panko): We love these for a light, extra crunchy crust.
- Vegetable oil (or olive oil): Perfect for frying the chicken to golden perfection. Olive oil adds a richer flavor so it’s up to you.
Garlic Butter Sauce:
- Salted butter: This is the base of the sauce and comes out silky and smooth.
- Garlic cloves: We prefer fresh garlic for the sauce over powdered.
- Fresh parsley: Adds a vibrant herby taste and a pop of color. Keep some to garnish with.
- Lemon: Brings brightness and acidity.
Pasta:
- Spaghetti: Any pasta shape works. We love spaghetti as it’s just so classic. Fettuccine, penne, or linguine are all great.
- Mozzarella: Creates a creamy, cheesy texture. We suggest freshly grating the mozzarella as it melts better.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- Step 1 - Make the garlic butter mixture
- Step 2 - Coat the chicken breasts with garlic butter mixture
- Step 3 - Prepare breading mixture
- Step 4 - Prepare eggs, flour and bread crumbs in three bowls
- Step 5 - Dredge chicken in eggs, then flour, then eggs, then bread crumbs
- Step 6 - Pan fry chicken breasts
- Step 7 - Cook pasta and add garlic butter and mozzarella
- Step 8 - Slice, garnish and serve
Variations of this Crispy Lemon Garlic Chicken with Spaghetti Recipe
While we feel this crispy chicken recipe is pretty perfect, here are a few alternative takes on it:
- Swap the protein: Replace chicken with turkey cutlets, pork chops, or even firm tofu for a vegetarian version.
- Go gluten-free: Use gluten-free flour and breadcrumbs to make this dish okay for gluten sensitivity.
- Cheese swap: Replace mozzarella with Parmesan, Asiago, or a blend of cheeses.
- Add veggies: Toss sautéed spinach, roasted cherry tomatoes, or steamed broccoli into the pasta.
- Make It Spicy: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the garlic butter for a spicy kick.
- Zesty Twist: Add lemon zest to the breadcrumb mixture for an extra citrusy note in the chicken coating.
Top Tips
- Pound the chicken evenly: Use a meat mallet or rolling pin to ensure even cooking and tender results.
- Chill-coated chicken: Refrigerate breaded chicken for 20–30 minutes before frying to help the coating stick better.
- Use fresh garlic and lemon: Fresh ingredients make all the difference.
- Cook pasta al dente: Slightly undercooked, the spaghetti absorbs the garlic butter sauce perfectly.
- Avoid overcrowding the pan: Fry the chicken in batches to ensure a crispy, golden coating.
- Degrease chicken after frying: Place cooked chicken on a paper towel-lined plate to remove excess oil.
- Saves some garlic butter: Keep aside a small amount for drizzling over the chicken just before serving.
Storage Notes
Let your leftover crispy chicken and sauce cool completely before transferring them to airtight containers. Same goes for the pasta.
Store the chicken and pasta separately, if possible, to maintain the crispness of the chicken. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Freezing
Bread and cook the chicken as instructed, then cool completely. Wrap each piece tightly in plastic wrap and store it in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Freeze the cooked pasta tossed in garlic butter in an airtight container for up to 2 months. We always try to avoid adding the mozzarella before freezing.
Reheating
The best way to reheat this is in the oven at 375°F (190°C) for 10–12 minutes to restore crispiness.
FAQ
Definitely! Make sure you have a large enough pan, or work in batches to fry the chicken without overcrowding. You can also keep cooked chicken warm in the oven while finishing the rest.
Yes! Use dairy-free butter for the garlic sauce and skip the mozzarella or replace it with a dairy-free cheese alternative.
Add cayenne pepper or chili powder to the breadcrumb mixture, or serve the dish with a drizzle of spicy chili oil or hot sauce.
Yup! Chicken thighs are juicier and work perfectly in this recipe. Just make sure to pound them evenly to ensure even cooking.
Yes, you can bake the breaded chicken. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C), place the breaded chicken on a wire rack over a baking sheet, and bake for 20–25 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and cooked through.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with crispy lemon garlic chicken with spaghetti:
Crispy Lemon Garlic Chicken with Spaghetti
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 1 cup breadcrumbs option: panko for extra crunch
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil
- ¼ cup salted butter
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 small bunch of fresh parsley
- 1 lemon
- 1 package spaghetti
- 2 cups mozzarella
- fresh parsley for sprinkling
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Make the Garlic Butter:
- Combine parsley, butter, garlic, salt, juice of half lemon and pepper to taste in a blender. Blend until smooth.
Prepare the chicken breasts:
- Pound the chicken breasts with a meat mallet or rolling pin about 1 inch thick.
- Brush each chicken breast with the garlic butter you made in the blender.
- Note: Do not use all of it. Use enough butter to lightly coat each chicken breast.
- Refrigerate for 30-40 minutes or while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
- In a medium bowl, mix the breadcrumbs with the spices. Pour into a shallow dish.
- In another shallow dish, pour the plain flour.
- In a deep dish, beat the eggs.
Fry the crispy chicken:
- Heat a frying pan with 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil or olive oil.
- Dip each chicken breast in the beaten eggs first. Then roll in flour. Return to the egg and finally roll in breadcrumbs.
- Fry over medium heat until golden.
Prepare the pasta:
- Heat a pot of water until boiling. Add 1tbsp olive oil and salt to taste. Once the water is boiling, add the spaghetti and cook as directed on the package.
- Drain well from the water and add the rest of the garlic butter. Stir very well to melt the butter and mix with the spaghetti.
- Add the mozzarella and stir again.
Serve
- Serve the spaghetti in a large, beautiful bowl. Arrange the crispy chicken on top and sprinkle with additional parsley and lemon.
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