Easy lemon chicken pasta with spinach loaded with herbs and vegetables in a simple lemon and olive oil dressing! This fresh pasta is quickly tossed together in one pan and uses basic ingredients for a speedy weeknight meal!

This simple lemon chicken pasta with spinach is the perfect dinner meal for those busy weeknights, using those leftover vegetables!

Made with a quick (and totally easy!) olive oil and lemon dressing, there is no need for extra seasonings or fancy ingredients!

Totally uses just the basic essentials to put this healthy chicken spinach pasta tossed together in one pan!

This post will go over everything you need to know to create this lemon chicken pasta with spinach.

healthy chicken and spinach pasta recipes

Recipe difficulty: Easy, just chop and toss!
Use those extra vegetables in the refrigerator to make this chicken spinach pasta recipe in a zesty olive oil dressing! Combined with the lemon juice and herbs, simple never tasted so good when this pasta is prepared! The secret? Whole grain Dijon mustard…

lemon pasta with chicken spinach and tomatoes

Sam’s Pro Tips for this Lemon Chicken Pasta with Spinach

Cook Your Pasta with Salt and Oil

I know this is a hit or miss topic as there are varying opinions, but I cook my pasta with salt and olive oil in the water! We shared this tip in our Best Shrimp Scampi Recipe with Pasta Recipe!

I find that the salt helps flavor the pasta and the olive oil prevents my noodles from sticking. Super helpful if you forget to occasionally stir the pasta as it cooks (Totally guilty of this!)

Customize the Vegetables to Preference

I love using vegetables that are easy to cook and already prepared! So, in this lemon chicken spinach pasta, I simply toss in the bag of spinach leaves, sliced mushrooms, and halved grape tomatoes (ok, so the tomatoes have some prep).

However, you can use whichever vegetables you may have on hand as that’s the beauty of this olive oil dressing with the lemon. There are so many choices!

Bigger the Pan the Better

So, this is one of those healthy chicken and spinach pasta recipes that makes use of all those nutritious vegetables and herbs! As such, to make your life easier, use the biggest sauté pan you have!

Not joking! Mixing all the ingredients can become tiresome and messy if your pan is too small. A larger pan makes this way easier!

Key Ingredients – Lemon Chicken Pasta with Spinach

Below are some key and optional ingredients for this recipe:

Spaghetti: Thinner noodles work best with this lemon chicken pasta with spinach to get more of that vegetable flavor! You can definitely use something different, but we like spaghetti with this type of pasta!

Chicken: Cooking the sliced chicken breast with butter and olive oil gives a nice flavor to the chicken without even using seasoning yet! Two pounds of chicken ensures every bite has a generous serving.

Grape tomatoes: Halved grape tomatoes pairs great with this healthy chicken spinach pasta as the sweetness of the tomatoes gives a nice freshness! Plus, the juice adds to the olive oil dressing.

Mushroom slices: Sliced cremini mushrooms give a rich flavor to the pasta and cooks super quickly. Buy these mushrooms already sliced to save time!

Spinach leaves: After washing your baby spinach leaves, throw it in the pot! That’s it! Honestly, the more the better, as spinach totally shrinks when cooking. In our Savory Chicken Tinola with Spinach | Filipino Ginger-Chicken Soup, we love to grab handfuls of these healthy greens!

Parsley: Usually I don’t mind using dried parsley flakes, but in this lemon chicken pasta with spinach, I actually prefer the fresh chopped parsley. This will be your finishing step and really perks this pasta right up!

Whole grain Dijon mustard: This is the secret sauce to this recipe! I sauté the vegetables with a tablespoon of the mustard to add some flavor and give a nice zing to the pasta. Don’t skip out on this!

Chili flakes: For a bit of spice and elevates the flavor! Season to preference.

Lemon pepper seasoning (optional): Season the chicken with a bit of lemon pepper seasoning combined with the butter for some extra flavorful pieces.

Dressing

Olive oil: A key component in the dressing! This will coat the spaghetti and give a rich flavor with the lemon. I like to go heavier with the olive oil than lighter.

Lemon: A whole lemon is juiced to be mixed with the olive oil. You could use more but start with one first! Be sure to have lemon wedges on the side for folks that want more!

Garlic powder: Use garlic powder in the dressing to add to that herbed flavor and is way easier than peeling and mincing fresh garlic cloves.

Parmesan cheese: Grate fresh parmesan to get that fresh flavor. Way better than the canned stuff…

More Variations to this Lemon Chicken Pasta with Spinach

There are a few ways you can variate this lemon chicken pasta with spinach. Here’s how:

Alternate the vegetables and meat: Use chopped zucchini or diced pork in this lemon chicken spinach pasta for something different! Or add some chopped basil to make this extra herb-based.

Have any more easy pasta dishes? Yes! One of our favorite recipes here is The Ultimate Filipino Spaghetti Sauce Recipe, served on spaghetti (of course!)! The sauce is super addicting and a popular favorite! For warmer weather, our Asian-Inspired Easy Cold Pasta Salad Recipe | 7-Ingredients Only is a great toss-together pasta with a zesty rice vinegar dressing.

What can I pair with this dish? This is a great dinner meal super filling on its own! Make this a complete meal with our 15-Minute Mini Pecan Sticky Buns to Drool Over or our Classy Chocolate Mousse with Grand Marnier to Indulge In to satisfy that sweet craving!

Looking for some awesome printables that are totally FREE? Our favorite! Check out our FREE LIBRARY for our Grocery Checklist or Top 5 Ingredients you Need for Filipino Cooking printables to help you on your cooking journey!

Related Recipes

Ingredients

16 ounces spaghetti
2 pounds chicken breast cut in long-strips
6 ounces baby spinach leaves
10 ounces grape tomatoes halved
10 ounces cremini mushrooms sliced
1 tablespoon Whole grain Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Extra Virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
lemon pepper seasoning to taste optional

Dressing

⅓ cup Extra Virgin olive oil
1 lemon juiced
½ tablespoon garlic powder
½ tablespoon chili flakes
½ cup parsley chopped
salt and pepper to taste
grated parmesan cheese to taste

Instructions

Cook the pasta according to directions. Before the water starts to boil, add about a tablespoon of salt and olive oil into the water. Stir the pasta to prevent sticking and drain when ready.
In a large saute pan or skillet, heat olive oil and the unsalted butter over medium heat. Once heated, brown the chicken on all sides for 7-10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and lemon pepper seasoning to taste if using.
Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. Add the grape tomatoes, cremini mushrooms, and baby spinach leaves. Sauté for 3 minutes until the spinach leaves are cooked. Add the Whole grain Dijon mustard and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine and reduce to low heat.
Assemble the dressing in a small bowl and combine the Extra Virgin olive oil, lemon juice, garlic powder, chili flakes, and salt and pepper to taste.
Toss the cooked pasta and chicken into the vegetable mixture. Add the dressing and chopped parsley. Combine the pasta mixture until heated through.
Remove the pasta from the heat and add the parmesan cheese before serving. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and additional olive oil if needed. Enjoy!

Notes

If you would like more dressing to your pasta, you can increase the Extra Virgin olive oil to a 1/2 cup. Measurements provided for the dressing yield a light coating to the pasta.
When reheating the pasta, you can add a drizzle of olive oil and lemon juice if the pasta is too dry.
See Sam’s Pro Tips for this Lemon Chicken Pasta with Spinach for further details.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does this lemon chicken pasta with spinach last in the refrigerator?

Store this lemon chicken pasta with spinach in the refrigerator and consume within 3-4 days for optimal freshness.

What is the rule of thumb in regard to substituting fresh herbs for dried herbs?

Dry herbs are more potent compared to fresh herbs. A good rule of thumb is to use 3x the amount of fresh herbs compared to dried herbs. For example, 1 tablespoon of fresh parsley is equivalent to one teaspoon of dried parsley.

How much juice can you get from one lemon?

Usually, 1 lemon can yield 3 tablespoons of juice depending on the size of the lemon.

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Lemon Chicken Pasta with Spinach with an Olive Oil Dressing