Chicken Primavera is my current favorite pasta dish! Creamy pasta piled high with veggies and topped with fresh basil.
Author’s Note
A Favorite From My Restaurant Days!
I’ve shared so many recipes inspired by the restaurant I worked at for 7 years. With all the menu changes and rotating specials, there are so many dishes I still think about. The honey whole wheat bread will forever be my number one, with crème brûlée coming in a very close second.
But when it came to dinner, the pastas were my favorites!
Every spring we ran a pasta primavera as a special, and people could not get enough of it. Creamy pasta tossed with fresh, in-season veggies, plenty of Parmesan, a bright squeeze of lemon, and finished with toasted pine nuts for that little crunch on top.
I looked forward to spring every single year just so I could eat it again. It’s honestly been a while since I’ve had the exact dish, but this version tastes just as delicious as I remember. I hope you love it as much as I do!
Chicken Primavera Ingredients
| Ingredient | Tip |
|---|---|
| Fettuccine | Cook just shy of al dente and save some pasta water to help the sauce cling. |
| Chicken breasts | Slice in half and pound evenly so they cook quickly and stay tender. |
| Spring vegetables | Cut into similar sizes and cook over high heat so they stay crisp-tender and don’t end up overly soft or mushy. |
| Butter, olive oil & heavy cream | Use heavy cream for a silky sauce that thickens well and coats the pasta. Lower-fat milks will not thicken the same way. |
| Parmesan, basil, lemon & pine nuts | Grate Parmesan fresh from the block for the best melt. Add basil at the end and toast pine nuts for extra crunch. |
How To Make Chicken Primavera
- Cook chicken: Season and sear until cooked through; rest.
- Cook vegetables: Sauté until crisp-tender; push aside.
- Make sauce: Melt butter, stir in cream, add cheese. Stir until smooth & thickened.
- Cook pasta: Boil until just al dente; reserve pasta water.
- Combine: Add chicken and pasta, toss with sauce and a splash of pasta water; finish with herbs and nuts.
Chelsea’s Tip
How to Toast Pine Nuts
Add pine nuts to a dry skillet over medium heat. Stir often for 2 to 3 minutes until lightly golden and fragrant. Watch closely, they burn fast. Remove from the pan right away so they don’t keep cooking.
What To Serve With Chicken Primavera
- Garlic bread or crusty bread: Perfect for soaking up the creamy sauce.
- Simple garden salad: Mixed greens with a light dressing keeps the meal light.
- Caprese salad: Tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil pair well with the rich pasta.
- Cucumber salad: Light and crunchy side that pairs perfectly with pasta.
- Fresh fruit salad: A light, sweet finish after a creamy dish.
Storage
This Chicken Primavera is best right after tossing the sauce with the pasta, when it’s at its creamiest. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of cream or broth to loosen the sauce. Freezing not recommended.
More Favorite Pasta Dishes:
Dinner
Bruschetta Pasta
Dinner
Zucchini Squash Pasta
Pasta And Pizza
Marry Me Pasta Recipe
Pasta And Pizza
Zesty Italian Pasta
Chicken Primavera
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 10 ounces fettuccine not the whole box, plus 1 cup cooking water
- 2 medium boneless skinless chicken breasts sliced in half horizontally, (1 pound total)
- Salt and pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 3 tablespoon olive oil divided
- 7 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 1 cup heavy cream see note 1
- 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan packed, see note 2, plus more for serving
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 red bell pepper cut into matchsticks, about 1 cup
- 2 cups bite-size broccoli florets
- 1 zucchini sliced into 1/4-inch half moons, about 2 cups
- 1 yellow squash sliced into 1/4-inch half moons, about 2 cups
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1/2 cup fresh basil thinly sliced, see note 3
- 3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts see note 4 for how to toast
- 1 large lemon 1 tsp zest and 1-2 tbsp juice
Instructions
- Lightly pound chicken to even thickness. Season both sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Heat 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken in a single layer. Cook 3 minutes, flip, and cook 2 to 4 minutes more, until cooked through. Transfer to a cutting board, cover with foil, and let rest.
- In the same skillet, heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over high heat. Add broccoli and cook 2 minutes. Add bell pepper, zucchini, and squash. Cook 2-3 minutes, until crisp-tender. Stir in peas, cherry tomatoes, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste (about 1/4 tsp each). Cook 1 to 2 minutes, just until tomatoes begin to soften.
- Reduce heat to low. Push vegetables to the edges of the pan. Add remaining 5 tablespoons butter to the center. Once mostly melted, stir it through the vegetables. Pour in heavy cream. Add Parmesan, 1/4 cup at a time, stirring until fully melted and smooth.
- Meanwhile, bring 12 cups water to a boil in a large pot. Add 1 tablespoon salt, then add pasta. Cook according to package directions, subtracting 1 minute. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain.
- Slice or dice the rested chicken. Add chicken and pasta to the skillet. Stir in 1/2 cup reserved pasta water, lemon zest, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice (add more to taste). Toss over medium heat 1 to 2 minutes, until sauce thickens and coats the pasta. Add more pasta water as needed to loosen.
- Remove from heat. Taste and adjust salt if needed, then stir in basil. Divide into bowls, top with toasted pine nuts and extra Parmesan, and serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
