This Healthy Lemon Chicken Pasta (no cream) is not only creamy, it's full of delicious, crunchy veggies, but it's truly the fresh lemon that really makes this pasta sing! This Healthy Chicken Pasta is lightened up using Greek yogurt and light sour cream instead of heavy cream. But I can guarantee you that there is no flavor lost, and you still get a super creamy sauce! And using frozen peas and broccoli makes it easier and more economical.
This creamy Weight Watchers Lemon Chicken Pasta is 7 WW points. It makes a great weeknight meal any time of the year. If you're looking for Weight Watchers pasta recipes, you'll love this one! Pasta is pure comfort food. When you're trying to eat healthy, lose weight, or simply maintain your weight, creamy chicken pasta is not usually a recipe that you turn to. But at the same time, who wants to give up creamy pasta to achieve their health goals? Not me! And that's what I love about the WW program - I don't have to... So, if you're looking for Weight Watchers pasta recipes, this will not disappoint!
Recipe Overview: Healthy Lemon Chicken Pasta
- Ready In: 40 Minutes (20 minutes cooking time)
- Serves: 6
- Calories: 520 kcal (approximately)
- Main Ingredients: Chicken breast, broccoli, lemon, non-fat yogurt, and light sour cream.
- Dietary info: Weight Watchers friendly 7 @ ww points
- Difficulty: Easy
- Why You'll Love It: This Healthy Lemon Chicken Pasta features a creamy lemon sauce, penne pasta, juicy chicken breast, fresh lemon and frozen veggies. And it's light and Weight Watchers friendly!
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- Recipe Overview: Healthy Lemon Chicken Pasta
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- 🥘 Ingredient Notes
- 📖 Variations & Substitutions
- 🔪How to Make Healthy Lemon Chicken Pasta
- Expert Recipe Tips
- 🔢WW Points
- 👪 Serving size
- 🍽Equipment
- 🥗 What to Eat with Healthy Creamy Chicken Pasta
- 🌡️Storage
- ❔ Recipe FAQs
- Didn't find the answer you're looking for?
- 🐓More WW Chicken Recipes
- 📋 Healthy Lemon Chicken Pasta Recipe
This spectacular lemon chicken pasta started as a school project my son brought home from cooking class. While the original was delicious, it was loaded with heavy cream and definitely not WW-friendly! I made it my mission to lighten up this simple dish of chicken and frozen veggies, successfully cutting the points by more than half without losing any of that signature creamy lemon flavor.
Just like my popular Healthy Butter Chicken , which was also a school-inspired "makeover," I expect this easy creamy pasta to become a new reader favorite. It's the ultimate comfort food for anyone watching their diet! If you're craving even more variety, don't miss my Mediterranean Pasta Toss for another light and delicious dinner option.
🥘 Ingredient Notes
For this healthy Creamy Lemon Chicken Penne Pasta recipe, you'll need:
- Penne Pasta: I use penne because the hollow center catches the creamy lemon sauce perfectly. To lower the WW points even further, you can use whole wheat pasta or a high-fiber "Smart" pasta (see WW points for a link to a WW pasta 'cheat sheet'.)
- Chicken Breast: Boneless, skinless chicken breast is a zero-point protein that stays juicy when tossed in this sauce.
- The "Creamy" Trio: Using a combination of non-fat Greek yogurt, light sour cream, and condensed milk (sweetened condensed milk) provides the richness of heavy cream with significantly less fat and calories. The sweetened condensed milk balances the tangy Greek yogurt.
- Reserved Pasta Water: Don't throw it all away! The starchy water is the secret to getting the sauce to stick to the noodles and achieving a silky consistency without adding calories!
- Fresh Lemon: You really need fresh lemon here. The zest provides the aromatic oils, while the juice provides the bright, acidic tang.
- Frozen Broccoli & Peas: These are "Lazy Way" staples! They are flash-frozen at peak ripeness, economical, and require zero chopping
*Please see recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantities
📖 Variations & Substitutions
- Broccoli and Peas - you can use frozen or fresh
- Pasta- you can use any kind of pasta you prefer, regular white pasta, whole wheat pasta, smart pasta or a WW pasta (to further bring down the WW points in this recipe). I use penne, but you could also use rotini or another type of noodle like fettuccine angel hair pasta or spaghetti noodles
- Gluten-free - use a gluten-free pasta
- Sour cream - you can use non-fat if you prefer (to further bring down points)
- Spicy - spice it up by adding some red pepper flakes
- Red onion - you could substitute green onion
- Chicken - if you're in a hurry, use a precooked rotisserie chicken from the grocery store
🔪How to Make Healthy Lemon Chicken Pasta
- Step 1: Cook both frozen green peas and frozen broccoli in the microwave for about 3 minutes. Set aside.
- Step 2: Cook chicken on stove top, in a large skillet, over medium-high heat, until done (no longer pink and internal temperature is 165 degrees F/74 degrees C). Set aside.
- Step 3: Cook penne pasta in a large pot of water, as per package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Step 4: In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add red onions and sauté, stirring often, until softened (about 4-5 minutes).
- Step 5: Cut your cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces (½ inch cubes) and add them to the pot along with the Italian seasoning.
- Step 6: Add reserved pasta water, stirring the entire time. Then add yogurt, garlic, salt, and condensed milk. Add cornstarch and cook on med- low heat until it starts to thicken.
- Step 7: Remove from heat, add in sour cream, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
- Step 8: If it's not thick enough (consistency of gravy) return to medium-low heat.
- Step 9: Gradually add a little more cornstarch, cooking until thickened. Add cooked peas and broccoli. Stir gently to combine.
- Step 10: Garnish with lemon wedges and light or low-fat Parmesan cheese (optional).
Expert Recipe Tips
- Prevent Curdling: When working with Greek yogurt and sour cream, never let the sauce come to a rolling boil once they are added. High heat can cause the dairy to separate or curdle. Keep the heat on medium-low and stir constantly.
- Zest Before You Juice: It is much easier to zest a firm, whole lemon than a squeezed-out half. Always get your zest first!
- The Cornstarch Slurry: To avoid lumps, mix your cornstarch with a tablespoon of cold water or a little of the reserved pasta water before adding it to the pot.
- The "Pasta Water" Secret: I always scoop out about 2 cups of pasta water before draining. You might not need it all, but having that starchy liquid on hand is the best way to thin out the sauce if it becomes too thick.
- Lazy Way Veggie Hack: If you're really in a hurry, you don't even need to microwave the frozen peas and broccoli separately. Just toss them into the boiling pasta water for the last 2-3 minutes of the pasta's cooking time!
🔢WW Points
This creamy lemon chicken pasta is 7 WW points. You can use non-fat sour cream and lighter pasta to further bring down the points if you prefer. Here's a handy "Cheat Sheet" for Weight Watchers Pasta!
For over 20 years, Weight Watchers (WW) has been my go-to lifestyle choice, helping me navigate everything from quitting smoking to post-pregnancy weight loss. While I have no official affiliation with the program, I'm a huge proponent because it allows you to eat "normal" food alongside your family-in fact, my family loved this recipe just as much as I did! It's a sustainable way to reach your health goals without the need for special meals, and you can read all about my personal Weight Watchers (WW) Journey HERE.
👪 Serving size
This creamy lemon pasta serves 6. If you're feeding a crowd, you can double or triple the recipe. Or you can half the recipe. Simply click on the serving size in the recipe card, select the number of servings you want, and the amounts will adjust accordingly.
🍽Equipment
To make this Weight Watchers Lemon Chicken pasta, you'll need a cutting board, a sharp knife, a zester, a skillet, and a large pot. Alternatively, you could use a Dutch oven (affiliate links), then you wouldn't need a skillet.
🥗 What to Eat with Healthy Creamy Chicken Pasta
This easy lemon chicken pasta also goes well with a simple green salad, as well as this Strawberry Pecan Spinach salad (shown) and this light and ww friendly Everything Bagel Cloud Bread Recipe.
🌡️Storage
Store this healthy creamy chicken pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also freeze it in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
This healthy lemon chicken pasta is quick and easy enough for a weeknight and one the whole family will love, but it's also perfect for serving guests!
❔ Recipe FAQs
Absolutely. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are very flavorful!
Because this sauce is yogurt-based, it can thicken up in the fridge. When reheating, add a splash of milk or water and heat it gently on the stovetop or in the microwave to bring back that creamy consistency
Yes! This recipe is a great "fridge clearer." Asparagus, sautéed mushrooms, or fresh baby spinach (stirred in at the very end until wilted) all taste amazing with the lemon sauce.
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This Healthy Lemon Chicken Pasta is the ultimate creamy comfort food-without the heavy cream! Lightened up with a velvety blend of Greek yogurt and light sour cream, this quick 40-minute meal features juicy chicken breast and budget-friendly frozen veggies. At just 7 WW points, it's a family-friendly weeknight savior that proves you don't have to sacrifice flavor or richness to achieve your health goals.
And if you're looking for additional Weight Watchers friendly and healthy chicken recipes, then check these out: Balsamic Chicken with Roasted Tomatoes, or this Easy Hoisin Chicken
🐓More WW Chicken Recipes
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📋 Healthy Lemon Chicken Pasta Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 450 g pkg of dry penne pasta
- ¾ cup frozen or fresh peas
- 500 g - bag of frozen broccoli or 1 head of fresh broccoli
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1.25 lbs boneless, skinlesss chicken breast
- 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced or 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 ½ cups reserved pasta water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup 0% fat yogurt
- ½ cup light sour cream
- 1 ½ tablespoon sweetened condensed milk
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Garnish
- lemon wedges
- parmesan cheese (light) optional
- black pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Cook both frozen green peas and frozen broccoli in microwave for about 3 minutes. Set aside¾ cup frozen or fresh peas, 500 g - bag of frozen broccoli
- Cook penne pasta, in a large pot of water, as per package directions. Drain and set aside.450 g pkg of dry penne pasta
- Cook chicken on stove top, in large skillet, over medium-high heat, until done (no longer pink and internal temperature is 165 degrees F). Cut into bite-sized pieces (½ inch cubes). Set aside. *you could use a dutch oven instead. Set aside.1.25 lbs boneless, skinlesss chicken breast
- In large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. When hot, add red onions, stirring often, until onions are softened, about 4-5 minutes.1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ red onion, thinly sliced
- Add chicken and Italian seasoning.2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Add reserved pasta water, stirring the entire time. Then add yogurt, garlic. salt and condensed milk. Add cornstarch and cook on med- low heat until it starts to thicken.1 teaspoon garlic minced, 1 ½ cups reserved pasta water, ½ teaspoon salt, ¾ cup 0% fat yogurt, 1 ½ tablespoon sweetened condensed milk, 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- Remove from heat, add in sour cream, lemon zest, lemon juice. If it's not thick enough (consistency of gravy) return to medium low heat and gradually add a little more cornstarch, cooking until thickened.½ cup light sour cream, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Add cooked peas and broccoli. Stir gently to combine.
Garnish
- Garnish with lemon wedges, and low-fat or fat-free parmesan cheese (optional)lemon wedges, black pepper, parmesan cheese (light)
Notes
- Prevent Curdling: When working with Greek yogurt and sour cream, never let the sauce come to a rolling boil once they are added. High heat can cause the dairy to separate or curdle. Keep the heat on medium-low and stir constantly.
- Zest Before You Juice: It is much easier to zest a firm, whole lemon than a squeezed-out half. Always get your zest first!
- The Cornstarch Slurry: To avoid lumps, mix your cornstarch with a tablespoon of cold water or a little of the reserved pasta water before adding it to the pot.
- The "Pasta Water" Secret: I always scoop out about 2 cups of pasta water before draining. You might not need it all, but having that starchy liquid on hand is the best way to thin out the sauce if it becomes too thick.
- Lazy Way Veggie Hack: If you're really in a hurry, you don't even need to microwave the frozen peas and broccoli separately. Just toss them into the boiling pasta water for the last 2-3 minutes of the pasta's cooking time!
Sheila Mcrae says
Made this for a family dinner. So flavourful!!! And fast enough to do when we got home from work and school.
Terri Gilson says
Hi Sheila,
I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it! I need to make it again soon !
Terri
Celia says
Does anyone know what a serving is? Is a cup or more than a cup?
Terri Gilson says
Hi Celia,
A serving is the whole dish divided by 6, which is about a cup.
Enjoy!
Terri
Nicole says
Creamy lemony sauces are at the top of my list of favourite pasta sauces. So darn good. Love that you’ve lightened it but that it’s still big on flavour!
nancy says
I love a good lemony cream sauce and hope this will be a hit at the dinner table too with my kids.
Shelby says
Kind of wishing I would have made this fo dinner this week haha think I can sub coconut milk for condensed?
Bernice says
Looks great Terri, though I am not a broccoli fan I would eat this all up. It is very difficult to find a nice light lemony cream sauce. Perfect for a quick lunch or dinner on the go.