Description
A delicious and creamy Chicken Pasta Primavera featuring tender chicken breast, fresh seasonal vegetables, and a rich Parmesan cream sauce. This recipe combines sautéed chicken and vegetables with pasta tossed in a smooth, garlicky cream sauce for a perfect weeknight meal ready in 35 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Cream Sauce
- 3 tablespoons (42 grams) unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) heavy cream
- 1/2 cup (50 grams) shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Chicken
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) olive oil
- 1 pound (450 grams) chicken breast, diced into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Vegetables
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) olive oil
- 3-4 cups fresh prepped vegetables (chopped asparagus, sliced zucchini, bell pepper, chopped broccoli, thinly sliced red onion, fresh or frozen peas, halved cherry tomatoes)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Pasta
- Pasta of choice (quantity as per package directions, typically 12-16 ounces)
- Salt for pasta water
Instructions
- Make the cream sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the unsalted butter. Add the minced garlic and sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant but not browned. Pour in the heavy cream and add the shredded Parmesan cheese. Whisk continuously for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Cook the chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the diced chicken breast to the pan, immediately seasoning with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is fully cooked and no longer pink inside, about 4 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package directions until al dente. Reserve some pasta water before draining, which can later be used to thin the sauce if needed.
- Cook the vegetables: In the same skillet used for the chicken, heat another tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped vegetables (excluding the cherry tomatoes) and season with salt and pepper. Sauté for about 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender but still crisp. Add the halved cherry tomatoes in the final 30 seconds of cooking to warm them through without losing their shape.
- Combine everything: Add the cooked pasta and prepared cream sauce to the skillet with the vegetables. If the sauce is too thick, add a little reserved pasta water to reach the desired consistency. Gently toss to combine all ingredients. Next, stir in the cooked chicken, tossing once more to evenly distribute. Remove from heat and serve immediately.
Notes
- Use fresh vegetables for the best flavor, but frozen peas are a convenient alternative.
- Reserve pasta water to adjust the cream sauce consistency as needed.
- For a lighter version, substitute heavy cream with half-and-half, but the sauce will be less rich.
- Gluten-free pasta can be used to make this recipe gluten-free.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated and reheated gently on the stovetop or microwave.
