Pea Mint Chicken Pasta (Printable)

Tender chicken with sweet peas and fresh mint in zesty lemon sauce over penne pasta.

# Ingredient List:

→ Pasta & Chicken

01 - 12 oz penne or fusilli pasta
02 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 10 oz), cut into bite-sized strips
03 - 1 tbsp olive oil
04 - 1/2 tsp salt
05 - 1/4 tsp 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 tbsp)

→ Sauce & Herbs

10 - 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
11 - 3 tbsp 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)

# How-to Steps:

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.
08 - Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan and mint.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The combination of sweet peas and fresh mint creates this incredibly bright, spring-like flavor that wakes up your whole palate
  • It comes together in under 35 minutes but tastes like something from a proper Italian restaurant
  • The lemon butter sauce clings to every piece of pasta and chicken, so no bite is bland
02 -
  • Don't skip the pasta water, it's starchy and helps bind the sauce to the pasta
  • Add the mint at the very end, cooking it makes the flavor disappear and turns the sauce brown
  • The sauce will thicken as it cools, so it should look slightly looser than you want when you take it off the heat
03 -
  • Use a microplane for the lemon zest, it catches only the bright yellow part and leaves the bitter white pith behind
  • If you're adding chili flakes, toast them briefly in the oil before adding the chicken for deeper flavor
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