Chicken Pasta Primavera
Primavera means “spring” in Italian, so I thought the name for this high-protein pasta dish was fitting since it’s made with spring asparagus, leeks, artichokes, and peas. The creamy sauce is made with cream cheese and parmesan cheese blended with a little milk, and each portion has a generous amount of veggies and chicken with 30 grams of protein per serving. It’s delicious, I hope you enjoy! For more primavera recipes, try this Risotto Primavera and Spaghetti Squash Primavera.
Ingredients You’ll Need To Make This:
Chicken Primavera Sauce: I used a combo of milk, Pecorino Romano or parmesan cheese and 1/3-less fat cream cheese to make the cream sauce light, with no heavy cream. Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into half-inch pieces adds protein. Seasoning: Cajun seasoning, salt, and pepper, or use your favorite seasoning. Asparagus: Trim the tough ends off and cut into one-inch pieces. Broth: Low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth to make the primavera sauce. Pasta: I used bow tie pasta but any other small shape, like orecchiette or rotini will work. Gluten-free pasta will also work. Leeks: Thoroughly clean 2 leeks to ensure you’ve removed all the dirt, and then thinly slice the white and light green parts. Artichokes: I used canned artichoke hearts, drained. Peas: Use fresh or frozen. You don’t need to thaw the frozen peas. Basil adds freshness and garnishes the dish.
How to Make Chicken Pasta Primavera
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.
What to Serve with Pasta Primavera
This healthy chicken pasta primavera is a complete meal, loaded with veggies and protein. If you’re serving it to a big group and want to stretch it to serve more people, pair it with a green salad and some crusty bread.
Vibrant: This simple chicken pasta primavera is bursting with the fresh flavors of spring. High-Protein Pasta: This meal has 30 grams of protein per serving, making it incredibly satisfying. Light: This healthy pasta primavera is made lighter than most creamy pasta recipes since I use no heavy-cream, and pack the dish with veggies and lean chicken. In Season Produce: Cooking with in-season vegetables like asparagus, leeks and peas will give you the best flavor and is budget-friendly. One-Pot Pasta: Cooking everything in one pot makes cleanup easy!
Storage
Store leftover pasta primavera for up to 4 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer. Thaw the pasta in the refrigerator and then microwave until warm.
More Pasta Recipes You’ll Love
Cajun Chicken Pasta Penne alla Vodka with Chicken Greek Pasta Salad Spaghetti Carbonara Baked Ziti with Spinach
