This Lemon Garlic Chicken and Vegetable Pasta is my new go-to for quick meal prep or a simple, delicious weeknight dinner. It’s totally customizable with different veggies, too!
I have to admit, I’m not a meal prep kind of girl. I am more of a “what sounds good right now” kind of cook. I’ll be scrolling through facebook or hear a commercial on the radio and see or hear something that looks delicious and immediately I will change my plans and make it, no matter what I’d already taken out of the freezer.
So I was pleasantly surprised when this meal ended up being perfect for meal prepping! My Lemon Garlic Chicken and Vegetable Pasta has tons of flavor, no butter and lots of protein and veggies. There’s pasta in there too, because, c’mon, it’s me.
This is one of those dishes that I saw in a video when scrolling facebook one day. It looked easy enough and sounded pretty amazing so I figured I’d give it a try. I did change up a few of the ingredients based on what I had on hand and I dare to say that this is even better than the recipe I originally had found.
The veggies in this dish are totally customizable; I had carrots, squash and zucchini, along with some spinach. I think this would be great with broccoli or green beans or maybe some tomatoes added in at the end. I like a lot of lemon flavor so I added more lemon juice and some zest in there with the garlic; you could add more or less depending on your taste.
The key with this Lemon Garlic Chicken and Vegetable Pasta is adding layers of flavors. You’ll see in the recipe that seasonings are adding at several different stages. This really helps to flavor each part of the dish and helps the flavors all play nicely together.
I was able to get about 5 lunches out of this pan of Lemon Garlic Chicken and Vegetable Pasta, which enough for a whole week! Or, serve it for dinner…depending on your family you should be able to get at least 4-6 servings. *One tip to note, chicken doesn’t like the microwave, so if you choose to reheat a portion of this meal, be sure to use the 50% power setting.
Lemon Garlic Chicken and Vegetable Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 2 carrots sliced into coins
- 1 zucchini cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 yellow squash cut into bite-sized pieces
- 4 cups spinach
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- half of a lemon
- 3 cups cooked pasta about 8-10 ounces dry
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley for garnish
- Fresh grated Parmesan cheese if desired, for garnish
- Lemon slices for serving
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add chicken and season with 1 teaspoon each salt, pepper and oregano. Cook stirring often, until no longer pink.
- Transfer chicken to a plate or bowl and add carrots to the skillet, cooking and stirring for 2-3 minutes or until tender (add more oil to the skillet if needed). Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and stir in zucchini and squash. Cook until tender; about 1 minute. Stir in spinach, and a teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Cook until spinach has just begun to soften.
- Make a well in the center of the vegetables and add minced garlic,1 teaspoon of oregano and lemon zest. Sauté in the center of the skillet for about 30 seconds, then stir together with the rest of the vegetables.
- Stir in cooked pasta and chicken and squeeze fresh lemon juice (from the half lemon) over the mixture.
- Divide into bowls and serve immediately.
- OR, divide into sealable containers and cool for about 15-20 minutes before sealing. Great for meal prep, and even good cold!
Love this easy recipe? Here are some more you’re sure to enjoy:
One Pan Lemon, Ricotta and Kale Pasta
15 Minute Broccoli and Tortellini Alfredo
Garlic Shrimp and Tomato Pasta
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