A simple, creamy pasta dish, Chicken Asparagus Pasta features tender (never mushy!) asparagus, parmesan cheese, and a bright lemon finish. The sauce comes together quickly in one pan, making it perfect for a quick dinner.
Why This Recipe Works
Simple pasta dishes that include protein and veggies are my go-to weeknight dinners because they are satisfying, nutritious, and simple to make!
I’ve created this asparagus pasta recipe based on my zucchini chicken pasta. It’s a veggie-packed pasta dish similar to chicken pasta primavera, but with just one veggie chosen to be the star of the dish.
I love asparagus season! In the spring, I pick up a beautiful bunch of fresh asparagus at the store or the farmers’ market nearly every week. It’s in season and often grown semi-locally at this time of year, which means it’s completely delicious in asparagus quiche or asparagus tarts, too.
In this easy recipe, I cook the asparagus in a skillet, separately from the other ingredients, so that I can keep a close eye on it and pull it from the pan before it overcooks. Nobody wants mushy asparagus in their pasta!
Ingredient Notes
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Pasta: This recipe works with any type of pasta that you like, but a short pasta is preferred. Here I’m using penne, but you could also try bowties, rotini, or rigatoni. We’ll boil the pasta in salted water while we’re cooking the chicken, asparagus, and the sauce on the stove.
- Asparagus: Trim the asparagus to get rid of any woody bits, and then cut the spears into 2 or 3-inch pieces so that they are about the same size as the pasta.
- Chicken: Diced chicken breast cooks quickly on the stove. For more flavor, you can also cut boneless chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces.
- Garlic and Shallot: I’m using shallot instead of onion in this recipe, as it has a more delicate flavor that I think works better with asparagus. Mince both the shallot and the garlic so that they cook quickly and spread out into the sauce.
- Cream Sauce: Heavy cream (double cream if you’re in the UK) and Parmesan cheese cook together to make this simple cream sauce. Use freshly grated Parmesan – it melts better and tastes better than the pre-grated stuff.
- Lemon: At the very end, before serving, add zest and juice from a lemon. This gives the dish a bright finish. Don’t add the lemon while the sauce is still cooking, as the heat will dull the flavor.
Tip!
Before you drain the pasta, save about a half cup of the starchy pasta water. You’ll use it to deglaze the pan, and a bit extra can be helpful in thinning out the sauce later!
Recipe Tips
- Cook the chicken and asparagus separately. This is the only way to be sure that both are cooked perfectly. I usually do the chicken first. I remove it when it’s cooked, and then add the asparagus with a bit more oil. Then I remove the asparagus and start the sauce. As you cook different things in the same pan, the flavors build.
- Use a large skillet. You want to have enough room in your pan to cook the chicken without steaming it. A 12-inch pan will work, but an even larger one is better.
- If you’d like to add other vegetables, cook them in the skillet separately, after the chicken and asparagus are finished. Try sliced mushrooms or small broccoli florets. You can also add baby spinach or frozen peas to the sauce just as it’s finished. These types of veggies will cook very quickly!
- To add flavor, deglaze the pan after cooking the aromatics with a splash of white wine or chicken broth.
- If your sauce thickens up too quickly or too much, add a splash of the reserved pasta water and whisk it in.
What to Serve with Asparagus Chicken Pasta
This is already a complete meal, with pasta, protein, and veggies all in the same dish! But if you’re looking to add something extra to the table, why not make a simple tossed salad or my copycat Olive Garden salad?
Fresh, crusty bread or some homemade breadsticks would also be amazing to soak up any extra sauce left on the plate!
Storing Leftovers
This creamy pasta will be best if eaten right away, but you can store leftovers for up to 3 days in the fridge.
When reheating, add a splash of water or stock to loosen up the sauce again.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Chicken Asparagus Pasta
Equipment
- Large pot
- Colander
- 12-inch skillet or larger
- cutting board
- Chef knife
- wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 8 ounces (225 g) uncooked pasta such as penne
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
- 1 tablespoon (14 g) unsalted butter
- 1¼ pounds (560 g) chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) olive oil
- 8 ounces (225 g) asparagus tips trimmed and cut into 3-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) olive oil
- 1 small shallot finely minced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup (60 ml) water or pasta water, white wine, or chicken stock for deglazing
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream (double cream in the UK)
- ½ cup (50 g) finely grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water to use only if you need to thin the sauce later, then drain.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and the butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken seasoned with the pepper, salt, and Italian seasoning. Cook until browned and cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
- Add 1 teaspoon olive oil to the skillet. Add the asparagus and cook for about 1 minute. Transfer to a plate.
- Add 1 teaspoon olive oil to the skillet. Add the shallot and garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Deglaze the pan with a splash of water, pasta water, wine, or chicken stock, scraping up the browned bits. Let the liquid reduce slightly.
- Pour in the heavy cream. Add the Parmesan cheese, black pepper, and salt. Warm over medium heat until the cheese melts and the sauce lightly coats the back of a spoon.
- Return the pasta, chicken, and asparagus to the pan. Add the lemon zest and lemon juice. Toss to combine. Add a small splash of the reserved pasta water only if the sauce needs thinning.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning, then sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Notes:
- You may need to cook the chicken and asparagus in separate batches to avoid crowding the pan.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan cheese for the best texture.
- For a milder lemon flavor reduce the zest to 1 teaspoon.
- If the sauce thickens too much, loosen it with a tiny amount of reserved pasta water.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
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