Chicken and Snap Pea Pasta with Creamy Garlic-Basil Sauce

Name: Chicken and Snap Pea Pasta with Creamy Garlic-Basil Sauce
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4 - 6 serving(s)
Ingredients: Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper; 1 lb. gemelli or other short pasta; 8 oz. snap peas, trimmed; 2 tbsp. unsalted butter; 4 cloves garlic, chopped; 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour; 1 1/4 c. whole milk; 2 c. shredded rotisserie chicken (about 8 ounces); 1 1/2 oz. Parmesan,grated (about 1/3 cup); 2 tbsp. chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish

This healthy pasta dish is just 20 minutes from stove to plate!

By Christopher MichelPublished: Feb 27, 2023

1 Rating

Jump to recipe

chicken and snap pea pasta with creamy garlicbasil sauce

Becky Luigart-Stayner

Yields:

4 - 6 serving(s)

Prep Time:

20 mins

Total Time:

20 mins

If you're looking for a fast, veggie-forward pasta dish that doesn't involve red sauce, then look no further. Snap peas and fresh basil flavor an easy white sauce in this tasty, 20-minute weeknight dinner treat.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Ingredients

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lb. gemelli or other short pasta
8 oz. snap peas, trimmed
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups whole milk
2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken (about 8 ounces)
1 1/2 oz. Parmesan,grated (about 1/3 cup)
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish

Directions

1. Step 1Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions, adding peas during the last 2 minutes of cooking time. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
2. Step 2Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk, stirring constantly. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Step 3Stir in pasta and peas, chicken, Parmesan, and basil. Stir in reserved pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed to make a sauce. Garnish with basil. Serve immediately.

Tip: When you prep snap peas, you'll want to remove the tough "string" that lines the outside edge. You can find stringless varieties and some stores sell them already trimmed, but we find that, if you put a little music on and give yourself about 5 minutes, it's an easy, dare we say meditative task. Just snap the very tip off one end of the pea and start pulling. You should see the string unzip from the inner side of the pea. A paring knife can also help.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below