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+ servings
A white bowl filled with chicken primavera pasta.

Primavera Chicken

Transition between winter and spring with Chicken Primavera Pasta. It's packed with veggies, so no side dishes needed!
4.8 from 5 ratings

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces penne pasta
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
  • 8 ounces boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch strips
  • 1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt divided
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper divided
  • 1 yellow bell pepper thinly sliced
  • 1 zucchini cut in half lengthwise, then sliced crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick half moons
  • ½ bunch asparagus trimmed and cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 cup grape tomatoes halved
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 large shallot finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1 cup peas fresh or frozen
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese plus additional for garnish
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
  • ½ cup chopped fresh basil

Instructions

  • Heat large pot of salted water to boiling and cook penne according to package instructions for al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water before draining pasta.
  • Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon butter in large high-sided skillet over medium heat. Add chicken, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and cook 4 to 6 minutes until golden brown and cooked through, stirring frequently. Transfer chicken to large plate.
  • Heat 2 tablespoons butter in same skillet over medium heat. Add bell pepper, zucchini and asparagus and cook 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Add tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and cook 2 to 3 minutes or until tomatoes are slightly softened and all other veggies are tender-crisp, stirring occasionally. Transfer mixture to plate with chicken.
  • Heat remaining 1 tablespoon butter in same skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, shallot, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. 
  • Stir in chicken stock. Heat to boiling over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium and simmer 5 minutes or until liquid has reduced by half.
  • Stir in peas, cheese, cream, lemon juice and lemon zest and cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
  • Add cooked pasta, reserved chicken and vegetables, and 1/4 cup pasta cooking water and toss until everything is well combined. If sauce if too thick, add additional pasta cooking water a few tablespoons at a time until desired consistency is achieved. Serve garnished with basil and additional Parmesan cheese.

Notes

  • Feel free to change up the vegetables by using snap peas or spinach in place of something else. Or, use the entire bunch of asparagus, and omit the zucchini.
  • The starch in the pasta cooking water thickens the sauce and helps the sauce cling to the pasta. Don’t forget to reserve some before draining the pasta!
  • You’ll notice that we’re seasoning with salt at almost every step – pasta cooking water, chicken, vegetables and sauce. It may seem excessive, but the overall amount isn’t that much, and it ensures that every single bite is well-seasoned and full of flavor.
Calories: 741kcal, Carbohydrates: 84g, Protein: 35g, Fat: 30g, Saturated Fat: 17g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Trans Fat: 0.5g, Cholesterol: 110mg, Sodium: 1090mg, Potassium: 1065mg, Fiber: 8g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 2274IU, Vitamin C: 92mg, Calcium: 219mg, Iron: 4mg
This website provides estimated nutrition information as a courtesy only. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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