This is the kind of winter weeknight bake I make almost on autopilot: raw chicken cubes and raw dry penne tucked together in a glass roasting pan, then brightened with just three fresh ingredients—lemon, garlic, and parsley. Everything bakes in one dish, the pasta soaking up the chicken juices and lemony broth as it softens. It’s loosely inspired by classic Mediterranean lemon chicken and the American love of baked casseroles, but streamlined to five ingredients and minimal prep. If you can slice a lemon and mince a bit of garlic, you can get this into the oven in under 10 minutes.
Serve this lemon chicken pasta straight from the glass roasting pan with a big green salad—something crisp and slightly bitter like arugula or romaine with a simple vinaigrette to balance the richness. A side of roasted broccoli or green beans works nicely if you want more vegetables in the mix. I like to put a small bowl of extra lemon wedges on the table for anyone who wants a sharper citrus hit, and if you enjoy wine, a light, zesty white like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio pairs well with the bright, garlicky flavors.
Oven-Baked 5-Ingredient Lemon Chicken Pasta
Servings: 4
Ingredients
8 oz (about 2 heaping cups) dry penne pasta
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 large lemons, zested and juiced (about 1/4 cup juice)
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more for serving
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/4 tsp kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided, plus more to taste
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly oil a 9×13-inch glass roasting pan (or any similar glass baking dish) with a teaspoon of the olive oil to prevent sticking.
Add the dry penne to the glass roasting pan, spreading it into an even layer. This is your base; the pasta will cook as it absorbs the broth and chicken juices in the oven.
Pat the chicken cubes dry with a paper towel. In a medium bowl, toss the chicken with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon of the kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of the black pepper until evenly coated.
With clean hands, nestle the seasoned raw chicken cubes amongst the raw dry penne in the glass roasting pan. Tuck some pieces down into the pasta and leave some on top so they brown lightly as they bake. This close contact is what flavors the pasta as everything cooks together.
In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the chicken broth, lemon zest, lemon juice, minced garlic, remaining olive oil, remaining kosher salt, and remaining black pepper. Taste the mixture—it should be pleasantly bright and well seasoned; adjust salt or lemon as needed, remembering the flavors will soften a bit once absorbed by the pasta.
