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Chicken Pasta Primavera

Chicken Pasta Primavera Recipe

4.86 from 95 votes
One-Pot Creamy Chicken Pasta Primavera made with lean chicken breast, spring veggies, and a light cream sauce. A delicious, high-protein dinner idea!
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Course: Dinner, main dish
Cuisine: American-Italian, Italian-American

Ingredients

  • 1 cup fat free milk
  • 1/3 cup fresh grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese (plus more for serving)
  • 1/3 cup 1/3 less fat cream cheese (recommend Philadelphia)
  • 1 pound boneless (skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch pieces)
  • 2 teaspoons cajun seasoning
  • olive oil spray
  • Kosher salt ( and fresh pepper)
  • 6 ounces fresh thin asparagus (ends trimmed and cut 1-inch pieces)
  • 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 8 ounces bow tie pasta (or other cut pasta, wheat or gluten-free)
  • 2 medium leeks (cleaned and white and light green parts thinly sliced)
  • 1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts (drained, rinsed, and quartered if necessary)
  • 1 cup frozen peas (no need to thaw)
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil

Instructions

  • In a small blender, combine milk, grated cheese and cream cheese and set aside.
  • Season chicken with cajun seasoning.
  • Heat a large pot over high heat. When the pan is very hot, spray it with oil and add the chicken, season with salt and pepper to taste, and cook, spreading it in a single layer on high heat until the bottom browns, about 3 minutes, then flip to cook the other side until the chicken is browned on all sides and cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
  • Add a splash of the broth and scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the remaining broth, cream cheese mixture, the pasta, and leeks. Stir to combine and bring to a boil, then cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally to help the pasta cook evenly, for 15 minutes.
  • Taste the pasta and if it's not al dente, or there is still a lot of liquid at the bottom of the pot, cover and cook for another minute and check again.
  • When the pasta is ready, add the asparagus and artichokes, gently stir, and cover. Cook until the asparagus is crisp-tender, the pasta is tender, and the liquid is mostly absorbed, about 3 minutes.
  • Uncover and add the chicken and any juices that have accumulated and the peas and stir to combine. Cook just for about 30 seconds to warm the peas through.
  • Remove from the heat and stir in the basil. Serve with more parmesan cheese, for passing.

Video

Notes

Variations:
  • Protein: Substitute chicken with shrimp. Or omit to keep it vegetarian.
  • Seasoning: If you don’t have Cajun seasoning, use onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, and cayenne.
  • Broth: Swap chicken broth with vegetable broth.
  • Herbs: Replace basil with chives or tarragon.

Nutrition

Serving: 12/3 cups, Calories: 369kcal, Carbohydrates: 48g, Protein: 30g, Fat: 6.5g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 69mg, Sodium: 706mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 8g
- WW Points: 7