Pea & Mint Chicken Pasta (Printable Version)

Tender chicken, sweet peas, and fresh mint tossed with pasta in a bright lemon and butter sauce.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta & Chicken

01 - 12 oz penne or fusilli pasta
02 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 10.5 oz), cut into bite-sized strips
03 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/4 teaspoon 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 tablespoons)

→ Sauce & Herbs

10 - 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
11 - 3 tablespoons 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 Make It:

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 Advice:

01 -
  • The fresh mint creates this unexpected brightness that makes even tired weeknights feel special
  • It comes together in about 35 minutes but tastes like something you'd linger over at a neighborhood Italian restaurant
02 -
  • I once skipped adding the pasta water and ended up with a sauce that was way too thick and clung to the pasta in all the wrong ways, that reserved starchy water is absolute magic for bringing everything together
  • The mint might seem unusual if you've never paired it with pasta before, but it's what makes this dish sing and feel different from every other lemon chicken recipe out there
03 -
  • Grate your Parmesan from a wedge if you can, the pre-grated stuff has anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting smoothly into the sauce
  • Don't skip the lemon zest, that's where all the aromatic lemon oils live and they make such a difference in the final dish
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