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This luxurious chicken spaghetti transforms ordinary pasta night into something extraordinary. The creamy lemon butter garlic sauce perfectly balances rich burrata cheese, creating a restaurant-quality dish that's surprisingly simple to make at home.
I created this recipe after an unforgettable meal at a coastal Italian restaurant. The combination of creamy cheese and citrus brightness transported me instantly back to that vacation, and now it's my go-to impressive dinner when friends come over.
Ingredients
- Spaghetti forms the perfect base for catching every bit of the luscious sauce. Look for quality bronze-die pasta for better sauce adhesion.
- Chicken breast provides lean protein that stays tender when properly seared. Choose organic if possible for best flavor.
- Burrata cheese delivers that incredible creamy center that creates a luxurious sauce when it melts. Worth the splurge for this dish.
- Lemon juice and zest add brightness that cuts through the richness. Always use fresh lemons, never bottled juice.
- Spinach and sundried tomatoes bring color, texture, and nutrition. Choose oil-packed sundried tomatoes for maximum flavor.
- Butter and heavy cream create the silky sauce base. Use European-style butter with higher fat content for best results.
- Fresh basil provides the perfect aromatic finish. Look for vibrant green leaves with no brown spots.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Cook the Pasta
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Add spaghetti and cook until just al dente, about 1-2 minutes less than package directions. Before draining, reserve ½ cup of starchy pasta water. The pasta will continue cooking in the sauce, so keeping it slightly firm now ensures perfect texture later.
- Prepare the Chicken
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Season chicken strips thoroughly with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Add to hot pan in a single layer without overcrowding. Let the chicken sear undisturbed for 2-3 minutes until golden, then flip and cook 2 minutes more until just cooked through. Remove to a plate and cover loosely with foil to keep warm.
- Create the Sauce Base
- Reduce heat to medium and add butter to the same skillet, allowing it to melt while scraping up any browned bits from the chicken. These caramelized bits contain concentrated flavor. Add minced garlic and cook for exactly 60 seconds until fragrant but not browned, as burned garlic turns bitter.
- Build the Sauce
- Pour in chicken broth, heavy cream, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest, stirring constantly to incorporate all ingredients. Allow mixture to come to a gentle simmer for 3-4 minutes until it begins to thicken slightly. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon but still remain pourable.
- Incorporate Vegetables
- Add chopped spinach and sundried tomatoes to the simmering sauce. Stir gently until spinach wilts and tomatoes soften, about 2 minutes. The spinach will reduce dramatically in volume as it cooks.
- Combine Everything
- Return cooked chicken to the skillet along with drained spaghetti. Toss everything together using tongs, adding splashes of reserved pasta water as needed to create a silky sauce that clings to every strand. Allow pasta to simmer in sauce for 1-2 minutes to absorb flavors.
- Finish with Burrata
- Turn off heat and let skillet cool for 1 minute. Tear burrata into pieces and scatter over the hot pasta. The residual heat will gently melt the cheese without breaking it down completely. Garnish with fresh basil leaves just before serving.
The burrata is truly the star ingredient here. I discovered its magic during a cooking class in Southern Italy, where our instructor showed us how the creamy center creates its own sauce when it meets hot pasta. My first attempt at home was for my partner's birthday dinner, and watching their eyes light up when the cheese melted into the pasta became one of my favorite cooking memories.
Make Ahead and Storage
This dish is best enjoyed immediately after preparation when the sauce is silky and the burrata is freshly melted. However, if you need to prepare components ahead of time, cook the pasta al dente, rinse with cool water, and toss with a drizzle of olive oil to prevent sticking. Store refrigerated for up to 24 hours. The sauce can be prepared separately and refrigerated, then gently reheated before combining with pasta. Add a splash of cream when reheating to restore the silky texture. The assembled dish without burrata will keep refrigerated for up to 3 days. Add the fresh burrata only when serving.
Perfect Pairings
This elegant pasta deserves thoughtful accompaniments. Serve with a simple arugula salad dressed with lemon vinaigrette to echo the citrus notes in the pasta. A crisp, chilled Pinot Grigio or unoaked Chardonnay complements the creamy sauce perfectly. For a complete dinner party menu, start with bruschetta topped with fresh tomatoes and basil, serve the pasta as your main course, and finish with a light lemon sorbet to cleanse the palate.
Ingredient Swaps
No need to make a special trip to the store if you're missing certain ingredients. Fettuccine or linguine work beautifully in place of spaghetti. Thigh meat can substitute for chicken breast for even more flavor. If burrata is unavailable, use fresh mozzarella combined with a splash of extra cream. Baby kale can replace spinach for a more robust green flavor. White wine can substitute for some of the chicken broth for a more complex sauce. In a pinch, dried basil can replace fresh, though the aromatic quality will be diminished.
Common Recipe Questions
- → Can I use fresh spinach instead of frozen?
Yes, you can substitute fresh spinach. Use about 20 ounces of fresh spinach and cook it down until wilted, then drain thoroughly to remove excess moisture before mixing with the ricotta and provolone.
- → What can I substitute for Gruyère cheese?
Fontina is already mentioned as an alternative in the recipe, but you could also use Emmental, Swiss, or even a mild white cheddar. The goal is to have a cheese that melts smoothly into the sauce.
- → Is there a way to make this vegetarian?
This dish is already vegetarian if you use vegetable broth. Just ensure your cheeses are made with vegetarian rennet if serving to strict vegetarians.
- → Can I use regular lasagna noodles instead of no-boil?
Yes, you can use regular lasagna noodles. Cook them until they're slightly underdone (about 2 minutes less than package directions), as they'll continue cooking in the oven. Alternatively, you can use uncooked regular noodles but add about 1/4 cup extra liquid to the sauce.
- → How can I make this dish less rich?
To make a lighter version, use part-skim ricotta, reduced-fat provolone, and substitute half-and-half or 2% milk for the whole milk. You could also reduce the butter to 6 tablespoons instead of 8.
- → What sides pair well with this lasagna?
This rich lasagna pairs beautifully with light sides like a simple arugula salad with lemon vinaigrette, roasted vegetables, or garlic bread. A crisp white wine like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc complements the creamy flavors.