Cheesy chicken pasta with zucchini and peas is a fresh, healthy dinner that's budget friendly and ready in 20 minutes!
This post has been updated with new photos and a recipe video.
We have eaten so well over the holiday season, but I find I’m missing my simple, healthy, home cooked meals.
And this cheesy chicken pasta with veggies is definitely going to be on my dinner menu for that first week of January.
Serious goodness going on here, you guys.
It’s got zucchini and peas, which just pair so perfectly in my book. (And I can find them easily all year long. I’m never without a bag of frozen peas in the freezer.)
Beyond those veggies, we’ve got whole wheat pasta, rotisserie chicken (from the store, or leftover if you’ve got some extra on hand) and two cheeses.
It's always a good idea to double up when it comes to things like cheese.
This is a family-friendly dinner winner for sure.
This chicken and zucchini pasta is light, bright and fresh with the lovely stretchy cheeses that work their way around the pan to grab hold of the veggies and chicken and pasta and bring everything together.
You can’t give me a fork big enough.
And everything else for this dish is ready by the time the pasta cooks, so it’s super fast to make.
Plus, any leftovers keep great for a yummy lunch later in the week.
OK, let's tackle a few quick recipe notes.
And speaking of family-friendly pasta dishes, you might also want to check out chicken penne pasta with broccoli. Simple but so satisfying. Or this fajita chicken pasta that's a fan favorite!
Ingredient Notes:
Pasta: I love using whole wheat penne for some whole grain goodness, but regular penne is fine. You could also substitute a different pasta shape, like rigatoni, if you prefer. Just cook according to the package directions.
Chicken: The chicken for this recipe needs to be cooked and chopped, so please plan accordingly. You can use a store-bought rotisserie chicken or some crock pot shredded chicken.
Peas: I adore frozen peas and always have a bag on hand. No need to defrost even, they can be added straight to the pan - they warm through quickly. If you prefer canned peas, you could substitute those.
Cheese: The recipe calls for just 1 cup of mozzarella cheese to keep this meal on the lighter side, but you could certainly add more if you want a more cheesy pasta. I'd say 1 ½ and up to 2 cups would be just fine.
Here’s to a happy, healthy, family-filled New Year!
Enjoy!
XO,
Kathryn
Cheesy Chicken Pasta with Zucchini and Peas
Ingredients
- 1 lb. whole wheat pasta (I use penne or rigatoni)
- 2 teaspoons olive oil plus 1 tablespoon for drizzling (optional)
- 1 cup onion, diced small
- 2 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced in ¼-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- ¾ teaspoon cracked black pepper, divided
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups cooked, chopped rotisserie chicken (skin removed)
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or more to your liking)
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions.
- Meanwhile, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a very large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and zucchini and saute for 3-4 minutes, until slightly tender. Season with ½ teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of black pepper.
- Add the garlic and saute for another 30 seconds.
- Add the chopped cooked chicken and the frozen peas and stir to heat through, 1-2 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low.
- When pasta is finished cooking, reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid and drain the pasta. Add the pasta to the skillet along with ½ cup of the reserved cooking liquid.
- Add cheeses and stir to combine. Stir in extra splashes of the reserved cooking liquid, if needed, to help everything combine. (Feel free to add more cheese if you want it extra cheesy.)
- Add remaining ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper, taste and adjust seasoning.
- Drizzle with extra tablespoon of olive oil, if desired. Serve with extra Parmesan cheese for passing.
karrie@TastyEverAfter
Yes to cheese and pasta!! Two of my favorite things to combine and eat all up. Thanks for making a healthy recipe and adding some veggies in there so I can eat this all the time. Hee, hee. Glad you had a wonderful time with the Hubby in Aruba and a wonderful Christmas with the whole family. Here's to a fantastic 2016 and Happy New Year!!
Kathryn
Thanks Karrie! Doesn't get much better than cheese and pasta, right?! I'll be sipping some bourbon tonight and sending a big cheers your way for a wonderful 2016! Happy New Year! XO
Julie at Hostess At Heart
This is one skillet of yumminess!
Kathryn
Thanks Julie! It really is a great combo and I love that it's an all-in-one dinner!
Katie
Wow this one dish dinner looks terrific and so pretty with all of the green veggies! Thanks for sharing this, found you at Throwback Thursday!
Kathryn
Thanks Katie! I love zucchini and peas together and they definitely bring some good green color to this all-in-one meal 🙂
Petra @ CrumblesAndKale
This looks great and so easy, what a great weeknight-meal 🙂 And Aruba sounds amazing, is it as pretty in real life as it looks on photos?
Kathryn
Thanks Petra! It's such a delicious, easy, fast weeknight dinner! And yes - Aruba is every bit as beautiful in real life! The weather is amazing, the water is unforgettable and the beaches are just so lovely. Highly recommend!
Mollie
Easy, quick & healthy! I love it! Thanks for linking up to Throwback ThursdaysW
Kathryn
Thanks Mollie! Those are some of my favorite qualities in a recipe 🙂
Christina lay
Hi! Wanted to try this but am not a fan of onions, particularly the texture. I'm not a good cook so any suggestions on how to use onion for flavor and not actually have in the dish? What about onion powder?
Thank you!
Kathryn
Hi! You could try removing the onions after you saute them (before you add the chicken and peas to the pan) so that you have some of that flavor without the actual onions in the final dish. Hope that helps - and hope you let me know what you think!