In the beautiful Spring season when my veggie garden is abundant, I love to make this chicken primavera recipe. It’s easy, creamy, and chock-full of fresh vegetables. Simple to make with under 10 ingredients and in just 30 minutes, this rich and creamy pasta primavera with chicken is a dish my whole family loves!
Top Reader Reviews
This was easy, quick and simple but turned out incredible!! My husband and son both had second plates, even my daughter loved it and she hates vegetables. I modified it just a little: pasta- I used the bow tie pasta, veggies- I used tomatoes, squash, zucchini, bell peppers, Broccoli and onions. Definitely one that’s going on the rotation for weekly dinner meals.
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I made this with carrots and sautéed onions and red and yellow peppers and it was amazing!! Next time I will add spinach and tomatoes. Yummy!!
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Creamy Pasta Primavera with Chicken
Chicken pasta primavera is one of my favorite weeknight dinner recipes. I like to use a combination of carrots, broccoli, and yellow onion in mine for a sweet and savory profile, but I love how versatile this chicken penne recipe is. I can make it with whatever veggies I have on hand, and it always tastes delicious. The creamy, cheesy sauce enriched with Parmesan makes this meal so comforting, too!
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Let the Sauce Thicken
Be sure to give the creamy pasta sauce time to simmer. This allows it to thicken so you end up with the perfect consistency. If it thickens up too much, you can loosen it up without losing that lovely creaminess by stirring in a ladleful of pasta cooking water.
Chicken Primavera Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 ounces penne pasta (½ box*)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cubed**)
- 1½ cups heavy cream (room temperature***)
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (¼ stick)
- 1 cup sliced carrots
- 1 cup broccoli florets
- ½ cup diced yellow onion
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 beefsteak tomatoes (diced)
Instructions
- Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Add in the pasta and cook until al dente.8 ounces penne pasta
- While pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large skillet or frying pan set over medium heat, and cook the chicken pieces through.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Once chicken is fully cooked through, add in the cream, Parmesan cheese, butter, carrots, onion, broccoli, and seasonings.1½ cups heavy cream, ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 cup sliced carrots, 1 cup broccoli florets, ½ cup diced yellow onion, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Stir on medium heat until the sauce begins to boil. Once it begins to boil, turn down the heat and let the sauce simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
- Stir in the tomatoes, allowing them to simmer in the sauce for the last 5 minutes. The sauce will thicken as it simmers.2 beefsteak tomatoes
- Remove from heat and serve immediately over the cooked pasta.
Notes
- Cook the pasta al dente so it doesn’t overcook once tossed in the sauce.
- Make sure the cream is at room temperature; this will keep it from curdling.
- You can easily swap in any veggies you have to this chicken primavera dish. Mushrooms and zucchini work great!
- If you’re in the mood for a meatless dinner, you can skip the chicken altogether, and it’s still a super tasty dish.
Note: Water, salt, pepper, oil, and broth are not counted as ingredients on this site.
How to Make Chicken Primavera Step by Step
Prep: Gather the listed chicken primavera ingredients. Bring the heavy cream to room temperature for 30-60 minutes before beginning so you don’t curdle the sauce. Cut 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts into bite-sized cubes. Slice the carrots, cut broccoli into florets, and dice the onion.
Boil the Pasta: Boil 4 cups of water in a saucepan. Add 8 ounces of dry penne pasta and cook according to package instructions. Once cooked, drain the pasta. I like to save a bit of the pasta water and set it to the side in case I need to thin out the sauce later on.
Cook the Chicken: While the pasta boils, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet set over medium heat. Add 1 pound of cubed chicken breast and cook through, about 3-5 minutes.
Make the Sauce: Next, stir in 1½ cups of room-temperature heavy cream, ¼ cup of freshly shredded Parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, 1 cup of sliced carrots, 1 cup of broccoli florets, ½ cup of diced yellow onion, ½ teaspoon of salt, and ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper.
Reduce the Sauce: Stir the sauce over medium heat until it begins to boil. Then quickly reduce the heat to low, and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. The sauce will begin to thicken.
Add the Tomatoes: During the last 5 minutes of cook time, stir in 2 chopped tomatoes. This will add a bit more moisture to the sauce. If you feel that the sauce is too thick, add a ladleful of the reserved pasta water to thin it out. Simmer until it reaches your desired consistency.
Serve: Combine the chicken and veggie cream sauce with the cooked penne. Then serve chicken primavera while hot!
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover chicken primavera pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, place it in a pot on the stove with a splash of water or broth and gently warm over medium-low heat. Alternatively, you can microwave individual portions in 30-second increments until warmed through. I do not recommend freezing this dish, as the sauce tends to separate once thawed.
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