Garlic Butter Chicken & Pea Pasta (Print View)

Tender chicken, sweet peas, and al dente pasta in a luscious garlic butter sauce. Quick, comforting, and perfect for weeknight dinners.

# Components:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
02 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
04 - 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs

→ Pasta & Vegetables

05 - 12 oz curly pasta such as fusilli or rotini
06 - 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
07 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Garlic Butter Sauce

08 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
09 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
10 - 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
11 - 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
12 - Zest of 1 lemon
13 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
14 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
15 - Salt and pepper to taste

# Directions:

01 - Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, then drain.
02 - While pasta cooks, season chicken pieces with salt, pepper, and dried Italian herbs.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden and cooked through. Remove chicken to a plate and set aside.
04 - Reduce heat to medium. In the same skillet, add butter. Once melted, add garlic and red pepper flakes; sauté for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant but not browned.
05 - Add peas and return chicken to the skillet. Stir to warm through, about 1 minute.
06 - Add cooked pasta, Parmesan, lemon zest, and lemon juice to the skillet. Toss everything together, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time until the sauce lightly coats the pasta.
07 - Remove from heat and stir in parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan and parsley if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than ordering takeout, with ingredients you probably already have.
  • The garlic butter clings to every twist of pasta, making each bite ridiculously satisfying.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully, and somehow taste even better the next day.
02 -
  • Don't drain all the pasta water, that starchy liquid is what transforms butter and cheese into a real sauce instead of a greasy puddle.
  • If your garlic starts to brown too fast, pull the pan off the heat for a moment, burnt garlic turns bitter and there's no fixing it.
  • Season the chicken well before cooking, under-seasoned protein makes the whole dish taste bland no matter how good the sauce is.
03 -
  • Use a microplane to zest the lemon directly over the skillet so the oils hit the hot pasta and release their aroma instantly.
  • Don't overcrowd the chicken in the pan, if the pieces are too close they'll steam instead of getting that golden sear.
  • Taste the pasta water before draining, if it's not salty enough your final dish will need way more salt than it should.
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