Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

This lemon chicken pasta bake is the perfect one pan meal for busy nights! It’s gluten-free and is made with a dairy free creamy lemon sauce.

A bowl of lemon chicken pasta bake.

Pasta bakes and one-pot pasta dishes are a staple in my family. They’re quick, filling, and comforting and couldn’t be easier to make! The problem is that they can be a little one-note. Most pasta bake recipes are made with tomato sauce as the base, and if you’re nightshade-free or just want to mix it up, it can be really limiting. 

This pasta bake is made entirely in one casserole dish with a creamy lemon sauce for the perfect light, fresh and easy meal for spring and beyond!

Why you’ll love Lemon Chicken Pasta Bake

  • One pot dish! These are the best for quick to make and quick to clean up on busy nights.
  • The lemon flavor is perfect for this summer. Pasta usually means a heavier red sauce, but I love the lighter and unexpected flavor of the lemon!

The Ingredients for Lemon Chicken Pasta Bake

  • Coconut Cream. This is the cream that hardens on top of a can of coconut milk. You can technically leave this out, but I would use some kind of creamy element in the sauce to make it extra creamy. 
  • Chicken Breast. This is cubed and uncooked, but you can see below for details on using already cooked chicken.
  • Dried Parsley, Dried Basil, Onion Powder, Salt, and Pepper.
  • Olive Oil, Chicken Broth, and Lemon Juice.
  • Gluten-Free Fusilli Pasta. My favorite brand is Jovial. You could use cassava or chickpea pasta but will need to tweak the recipe a bit. 
  • Garlic and Spinach.
  • Lemon Zest and Chopped Parsley. For topping!

All of the ingredients for lemon chicken pasta bake before cooking.

How to make Lemon Chicken Pasta Bake

  • Step One. Season the chicken.
  • Step Two. Add the pasta, seasoned chicken, broth, and lemon juice to the baking dish and toss.
  • Step Three. Bake.
  • Step Four. Remove from oven and add spinach and coconut cream and stir well.
  • Step Five. Top with lemon zest and chopped parsely and enjoy!

Step by step photos of the lemon chicken pasta bake being made.

Tips & Tricks

  • If you’d prefer, use cooked chicken instead. The chicken will cook through in this recipe, and you can safely add raw meat with other ingredients when cooking as long as everything is cooked through to 165F! To me, a big selling point of this recipe is that it’s all made in one pan and cooked together at once. However, you can use precooked chicken if you already have that on hand. 
  • Stir, stir, stir! The dish will look like there’s too much liquid at the end because the sauce hasn’t thickened yet. Stirring well to incorporate the starch from the pasta thickens the sauce! If your sauce still isn’t as thick as you’d like, you can add an arrowroot slurry (about 1 tsp arrowroot starch mixed with 1 tsp of water) to thicken it further. 

Storage and reheating instructions.

You can easily store this dish in the fridge for 2-3 days. Typically, the best way to reheat something is using the same method you used to cook it, but pasta can be a little temperamental when reheating in the oven. I would personally add it to a pan with splash of extra chicken broth. 

Can you use cassava pasta for this recipe?

You can, though it does stick a lot more than the regular pasta, so be sure to grease the dish very well.

Can you use chickpea pasta for this recipe? 

Chickpea pasta tends to cook faster, so it may need some tweaking to work properly in this recipe. 

 

A serving spoon taking a spoonful of lemon chicken pasta bake out of the serving dish.

You’ll also like…

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon

Lemon Chicken Pasta Bake {Gluten & Dairy Free}

★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews
  • Author: Unbound Wellness
  • Total Time: 40 mins
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Diet: Gluten Free
Print Recipe

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lb chicken breast, cubed (uncooked)
  • 2 tsp dried parsley
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 8 oz gluten-free fusilli pasta (uncooked)
  • 2 3/4 cup chicken broth
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup spinach, chopped
  • 1/4 cup coconut cream
  • Zest of one lemon
  • 2 tbsp chopped parsley

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 F and lightly grease a 9×13” baking dish.
  2. Add the chicken to a bowl and season with herbs, onion powder, and salt and pepper. Toss and top with olive oil.
  3. Add the uncooked pasta to the baking dish along with the seasoned chicken. Pour the broth and lemon juice and gently toss. Cover with a lid and transfer to the oven.
  4. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the cover and add minced garlic. Toss again and cover. Cook for another 20-22 minutes or until the pasta is al dente and the chicken is cooked through to 165 F.
  5. Remove from the oven add the spinach and coconut cream. Stir very well, the sauce will thicken and reduce as you stir! 
  6. Once the sauce is thick and creamy, top the pasta with lemon zest and chopped parsley and serve!
  • Prep Time: 5 mins
  • Cook Time: 35 mins
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: Global

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 serving
  • Calories: 428
  • Fat: 7.8g
  • Carbohydrates: 45.8g
  • Fiber: 2.4g
  • Protein: 34.7g