Chicken and Pea Pasta
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our privacy policy.
This chicken and pea pasta is perfect for a quick weeknight meal. The lemon garlic butter sauce is just packed with flavor. It’s a creamy pasta dish that’s seriously the BEST – a new family favorite for sure!
Okay, I could seriously talk about pasta all day. It’s hands down one of my favorite meals. That said, I try to eat it in moderation – if I didn’t, I’d probably turn into pasta! But when I do enjoy it, I love to make it GOOD.
This chicken and pea pasta recipe is definitely one of our favorites. Tons of lemon, garlic, and butter are poured over noodles. When I’m serving this as a main meal, I always add chicken for some extra protein, and I think the peas add a nice color to the overall dish.
I love this lemon chicken pasta recipe because it’s a one-and-done dinner. Everything you need for a balanced meal is right in this dish! It’s the kind of recipe I love to make when I need something quick, much like my chicken piccata or this sausage and peppers pasta.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Pasta – Use any type you like – spaghetti, penne, or even gluten-free pasta works well.
- Chicken Breasts – I use skinless chicken breast, but chicken thighs also work really well. I use chicken thighs all the time in recipes like my One-Skillet Greek Chicken Thighs and Lemon Rice because they stay extra juicy.
- Frozen Peas – I use frozen cause it’s quicker and they’re just as tasty.
- Butter & Olive Oil – Makes the lemon garlic butter sauce so rich and smooth.
- Garlic & Shallots – Gives a bit of depth and sweetness to this chicken pasta with peas dish. You can use onions to replace the shallots if you want.
- Lemon – The lemon is such a bright flavor but it’s not overpowering, especially because it’s cooked down.
- Parmesan – A little grated Parmesan cheese is sprinkled over the pasta chicken for garnish.
How to Make Chicken and Pea Pasta
Make the Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce
Start by heating up a good amount of butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once it’s melted, add in the minced garlic and chopped shallot.
Let it cook for a couple of minutes, but be careful not to let the garlic burn. Then, stir in some lemon zest and juice, a pinch of salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste.
Let the sauce simmer on low for about 5 minutes, then toss in the peas at the end to heat them through.
Expert Tip: The more it cooks down, the more golden in color it gets – you want that deep rich lemon and garlic flavor so don’t be afraid to let this simmer on low for a while.
Cook the Chicken
While the sauce is simmering, season your chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
After that, heat some olive oil in a separate skillet over medium-high heat and cook the chicken for a few minutes on each side. Once done, let it rest for a bit before slicing it up.
Cook the Pasta
Boil some pasta in salted water, cooking it until it’s al dente (you don’t want it too soft).
Drain the pasta and put it back in the pot. Save the pasta water for later.
Combine and Serve
Pour the sauce over the pasta, then add in your sliced chicken, some chopped parsley, and a good sprinkle of Parmesan.
Give everything a good stir and taste it. If it needs more salt, pepper, or lemon juice, just add a little more. If the pasta feels dry, add some of the reserved pasta water from before.
Serve your chicken and pea pasta with extra Parmesan and a slice of lemon.
Recommended Tools
- Large Non-stick Skillet – Non-stick pans are awesome for this chicken and pea pasta recipe, especially when you’re sautéing garlic. Less cleanup!
- Meat Thermometer – This checks if your chicken’s cooked through (165 degrees F is perfect).
- Microplane or Zester – Use this to zest the lemon without getting too much pith. If you don’t have a zester, a fine grater works excellent. Just don’t press too hard!
Storing and Reheating
If you have any leftover chicken pasta with peas, let the pasta cool down a bit before putting it in an airtight container. It’ll last in the fridge for about 3 to 4 days.
When it’s time to reheat, just throw the pasta in the microwave with a splash of water or broth to loosen it up. Heat it in 30-second bursts, stirring in between.
You can also heat it on the stove in a skillet with some olive oil or butter. Honestly, leftovers like this and my Lemon Chicken and Rice Soup are sometimes even better the next day.
Just heat it up on medium-low until warm, and add extra cheese or lemon juice if you want!
If you enjoy pasta recipes, check out all of my recipes here!
Chicken and Pea Pasta
Perfect for a quick weeknight meal. The lemon garlic butter sauce is just packed with flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta (any kind will do)
- 1 small bag frozen peas
- 2 chicken breasts
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 7 tablespoons good olive oil
- 8 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large shallot, chopped finely
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- handful of fresh parsley, chopped
- zest of 1 lemon
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice (3-4 lemons, depending on size)
- ⅛ – ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (as much or as little as you prefer)
- Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- First make the sauce - Add butter and olive oil to a large skillet and place over medium-low heat.
- Next add the garlic and shallot and sauté gently for 2 minutes. Careful to not burn the garlic. Turn heat down if needed.
- Next, add the lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Continue to sauté gently over low-heat for 5 more minutes. The last few minutes of cooking, add the peas and let them heat through. The sauce should just simmer, not boil. Be careful to not burn the garlic.
- While the sauce simmers make the chicken - Season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Add 2 tablespoon olive oil to a skillet and place over medium-high heat. Add chicken. Cook on both sides for 4-5 minutes. Check for doneness. Turn heat down if they need a little longer to cook through. Once done, remove chicken and let them rest for 5 minutes before slicing them.
- Finally, add the pasta to a pot of salted boiling water and cook al dente according to package directions. Before you drain the pasta, reserve about 1 cup of pasta water.
- Pour pasta back into the large pot you boiled it in. Add the sauce, sliced cooked chicken, parsley and handful of parmesan cheese. Stir and taste for seasoning. Add more salt and pepper if needed. Even lemon juice if you want more. If the pasta seems dry to you, add 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water and stir to loosen it up. Continue adding pasta water to your liking.
- Serve pasta with parmesan cheese and a lemon slice.
How many ounces do you consider two chicken breasts?
Hello! It depends on the size of the chicken breast. Usually each chicken breast is between 8-16 ounces. Hope this helps. The size of the chicken breast will not matter in this recipe, though!