5-4-3-2-1 Pasta Primavera (Printer-Friendly)

Colorful chicken pasta blended with fresh veggies, Parmesan, and Italian herbs for an easy, nutritious meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 red bell pepper, sliced
03 - 1 zucchini, sliced into half-moons
04 - 1 yellow squash, sliced into half-moons
05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
06 - 1 cup broccoli florets

→ Pasta

07 - 10 ounces penne or farfalle pasta

→ Dairy

08 - 1/4 cup heavy cream
09 - 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

→ Pantry & Aromatics

10 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
11 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
12 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

14 - Fresh basil leaves, torn (optional)
15 - Extra Parmesan cheese, for serving

# Method:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, then drain.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper, then sauté until golden and cooked through, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside.
03 - In the same skillet, add more olive oil if necessary and sauté garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Add bell pepper, zucchini, yellow squash, and broccoli. Cook, stirring frequently, until just tender, approximately 4 to 5 minutes.
05 - Stir in cherry tomatoes and the cooked chicken. Cook together for an additional 2 minutes.
06 - Reduce heat to medium-low. Add drained pasta, heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, and Italian herbs. Toss to combine and heat through. Gradually add reserved pasta water as needed to create a light sauce.
07 - Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if desired. Serve immediately garnished with fresh basil and extra Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 35 minutes and tastes like you spent way more effort than you actually did.
  • The pasta water creates the most silky, forgiving sauce without any fancy technique—just heat and stir.
  • Five vegetables means you get actual nutrition in your comfort food, and the colors alone make it feel celebratory.
02 -
  • Reserve your pasta water before draining—that starchy liquid is what transforms cream into a sauce that actually clings to everything instead of pooling at the bottom.
  • Don't cook your vegetables too soft; they'll continue to soften from the residual heat once the pasta goes in, and nobody wants mushy primavera.
03 -
  • Cut your vegetables roughly the same size so they finish cooking at the same time—ragged uniformity, not precision.
  • The heavy cream doesn't need to boil; it just needs to warm and combine, so trust medium-low heat and your eyes over rushing it with high heat.
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