Pea & Mint Chicken Pasta (Print)

Tender chicken, sweet peas, and fresh mint come together in a bright lemon sauce over al dente pasta.

# Ingredients:

→ Pasta & Chicken

01 - 12 oz penne or fusilli pasta
02 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 10.5 oz), cut into bite-sized strips
03 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

06 - 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
07 - 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
08 - Zest of 1 lemon
09 - Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)

→ Sauce & Herbs

10 - 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
11 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 - 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
13 - 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
14 - 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped (optional)

# Instructions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain and set aside.
02 - While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then add to the skillet. Sauté for 5-6 minutes, until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and keep warm.
03 - In the same skillet, add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the peas and cook for 2 minutes until heated through.
04 - Add lemon zest, juice, and chicken broth to the skillet. Bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
05 - Return the chicken to the skillet. Reduce heat to low, add the cooked pasta, and toss everything together.
06 - Stir in the butter and Parmesan cheese until melted and a glossy sauce forms. Add reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.
07 - Remove from heat and fold in the chopped mint and parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan and mint.

# Pro Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like something fancy you'd order at a bistro but uses ingredients you probably already have hiding in your kitchen.
  • The mint and lemon wake up your taste buds in a way that feels refreshing instead of heavy, even after a long day.
  • Everything comes together in one skillet after the pasta boils, so cleanup is mercifully simple.
  • You can easily swap the chicken for mushrooms or leave it out entirely and still have a meal that feels complete.
02 -
  • Reserve that pasta water before you drain, because once it's gone down the sink, you can't get it back and your sauce might end up too thick and sticky.
  • Add the mint at the very end off the heat, or it will turn brown and lose that fresh pop that makes this dish special.
  • Don't skip the lemon zest, the juice gives tang but the zest gives perfume, and you need both.
03 -
  • Grate your Parmesan right before using it, the pre grated stuff doesn't melt as smoothly and has a sawdust texture that ruins the sauce.
  • Taste your lemon before you juice it, some are sweeter and some are sharper, and you might need a little more or less depending on the fruit.
  • If the sauce breaks or looks oily, a splash of pasta water and a vigorous stir will bring it back together like nothing happened.
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