5-4-3-2-1 Pasta Primavera (Printable)

Vibrant pasta combined with chicken and a mix of fresh vegetables for a quick, nutritious meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 10.6 oz), 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 oz 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

# How To Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water and drain pasta.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper, then sauté until golden and cooked through, about 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
03 - In the same skillet, add additional olive oil if needed, then cook minced garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Add red bell pepper, zucchini, yellow squash, and broccoli florets to the skillet. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until vegetables are just tender.
05 - Stir in halved cherry tomatoes and cooked chicken pieces. Cook for an additional 2 minutes to meld flavors.
06 - Reduce heat to medium-low. Add cooked pasta, heavy cream, grated Parmesan, and dried Italian herbs. Toss to combine and warm through. Add reserved pasta water gradually to create a light sauce as needed.
07 - Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately garnished with torn basil leaves and extra Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent way more time than you actually did, which feels like getting away with something delicious.
  • Your kids or picky eaters will actually eat it because the veggies soften just enough and disappear into the creamy pasta.
  • You can make it with whatever vegetables are fresh or hiding in your crisper drawer.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving pasta water—it's the difference between a creamy sauce and a gluey, separated mess.
  • If you overcook the vegetables at the beginning, they'll turn into mush by the time you add the cream, so really pay attention to that 4 to 5 minute window.
  • Freshly grated Parmesan melts into the sauce like silk, while pre-shredded cheese gets clumpy and weird.
03 -
  • The pasta water is your sauce-building secret—starch and salt in one, no complicated reductions needed.
  • Slice your vegetables consistently so they cook at the same rate and nothing gets left raw or overcooked.
  • If you're feeding picky eaters, smaller vegetable pieces disappear better into the creamy pasta without them noticing.
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