This tasty Chicken Primavera is perfect for an easy weeknight meal. This creamy pasta dish is made with simple ingredients and fresh veggies and is ready to serve in 30 minutes.
What’s in this Chicken Primavera Recipe?
Made with diced chicken breast and loaded with veggies, this chicken primavera pasta is a hearty family meal.
- Pasta: I like penne for this recipe, but any short shape will work. Cook according to the package.
- Olive Oil: Helps the chicken brown.
- Chicken: I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but thighs will also work. You can also skip cooking the chicken and use rotisserie chicken instead.
- Heavy Cream: Makes the sauce super creamy and rich.
- Parmesan Cheese: Adds a salty, cheesy, umami flavor to the sauce.
- Unsalted Butter: Makes the sauce rich and flavorful.
- Vegetables: A combination of carrots, broccoli, and yellow onion adds a subtle sweet and vegetal flavor and make this dish extra nutritious!
- Salt + Pepper: Enhance the natural flavor of the chicken.
- Tomatoes: I used medium beefsteak tomatoes, but any kind will work!
Pro Tip: Cook the pasta al-dente. It will continue to cook a bit in the heat of the sauce.
Variations on Chicken Pasta Primavera
You can easily swap in any veggies you have to this dish. Mushrooms and zucchini work great!
If you’re in the mood for vegetarian, you can skip the chicken altogether and it’s still a super tasty dish.
Chicken primavera is a creamy pasta dish made with tender chunks of chicken, Parmesan cheese, and fresh spring vegetables.
Primavera sauce is traditionally made from chicken broth, Parmesan cheese, and seasonings. We make this version creamy by swapping the broth for heavy cream!
Yes! Simply omit the chicken. You can add even more veggies if you like!
This dish is not for the faint of heart. It comes in at a hefty 810 calories!
How to Store and Reheat
Store chicken primavera in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop and serve over freshly cooked pasta.
I do not recommend freezing this dish, as the heavy cream will separate once thawed.
Serving Suggestions
This dish is hearty enough to serve on its own, but you can easily serve it with a side of veggies, bread, or salad. Try it with Grilled Asparagus, Baked Tomatoes with Mozzarella, Cheesy Garlic Bread, or a Greek Salad.
Top Reader Review
- “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.” – Nekyna
Chicken Primavera Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 ounces dry penne pasta (½ box)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast 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 dry 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 breast
- Once the chicken is thoroughly cooked, add in the cream, Parmesan cheese, butter, carrots, onion, broccoli, and seasonings. 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.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 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
- Take care not to overcook the chicken breast or it can become dry.
- You can easily swap in any veggies you have to this dish. Mushrooms and zucchini work great!
- Cook the pasta al-dente.
- You can use any type of pasta with this dish. I used penne, but spaghetti or shells will both work well.
- Don’t use half-and-half or whole milk in place of the heavy cream. It will separate.
- Make sure the cream is at room temperature; this will keep it from curdling.
Nekyna says
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.
Becky Hardin says
Thanks for stopping by and sharing, Nekyna!
Carmel says
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!!
Becky Hardin says
Thanks for sharing!!