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Home » chicken » Chicken, asparagus and lemon pasta

Chicken, asparagus and lemon pasta

Published: May 3, 2018 · Modified: Mar 10, 2022 by Louisa Clements · This post may contain affiliate links

This post may contain affiliate links

Chicken, asparagus and lemon pasta is a quick spring dinner recipe with leeks and hot pepper flakes.

Chicken, asparagus and lemon pasta is a quick spring dinner recipe. | livinglou.com

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25 minutes minutes 2 Comments

The sun is shining, warmer temperatures are here and I feel like I have a literal spring in my step. With this literal new season, comes a new outlook. I woke up this morning and decided that I was done being bogged down by negative energy. I’ve always found April to be a challenging month.

You’ll notice if you go back through the archives that April has always held a lower number of posts. It’s hard for me to find inspiration to write when I’m not feeling inspired about much.

In the past couple of days, I’ve realized that I’ve been focusing too much on a couple of negative things, when really, there are so many good things happening that eclipse those smaller gripes. It’s all about perspective, and choosing to focus on where I’m putting my energy.

Chicken, asparagus and lemon pasta is a quick spring dinner recipe. | livinglou.com

This pasta recipe is perfect for this time of year because it celebrates both spring and winter produce. For me, asparagus is the vegetable I look forward to the most during the spring. Sweet with grassy notes, it’s perfect in pretty much every preparation. In this recipe, it’s paired with leeks.

Leeks, a member of the Allium family, bring a subtle onion and garlic flavour to this dish. The whole thing is brightened by lemon zest and balanced by the heat of chili flakes.

I like to use ground chicken in this dish because it allows pasta shells to capture every component in a single bite. Hello, heaven! Honestly though, this is such a simple dish it works perfectly for a weeknight and is great reheated as leftovers the next day.

It’s definitely not a ‘saucy’ pasta, so if that’s what you’re looking for I’d recommend trying my sausage and leek pasta as another spring pasta alternative.

Chicken, asparagus and lemon pasta is a quick spring dinner recipe. | livinglou.com

Pasta with Chicken and Asparagus

Author: Louisa Clements
3.58 from 14 votes
Chicken, asparagus and lemon pasta is a quick spring dinner recipe with leeks and hot pepper flakes.
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Prep: 10 minutes minutes
Cook: 15 minutes minutes
Total: 25 minutes minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 4 cups /290g dried pasta shells
  • 2 cups cut into 1" pieces of asparagus
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 lb / 454g ground chicken or ground turkey
  • 1 leek, light green and white parts only, washed and thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese for serving

Instructions

  • Cook pasta according to package directions, reserving 1 cup of pasta water to finish the sauce. Add asparagus to the pasta during the last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain and reserve.
  • Meanwhile, in a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook the ground chicken, breaking up any lumps, until lightly coloured, about 4 minutes.
  • Add the leeks and cook, stirring, until soft, about 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic, hot pepper flakes and salt, cook for 1 minute.
  • Add the cooked pasta and asparagus to pan with chicken and leeks. The mixture may seem dry so add reserved pasta water as needed, about two tablespoons at a time. Finish with lemon zest and toss well.
  • Serve with grated parmesan cheese.
Did you try this recipe?Leave a comment + rating and let me know what you think!
Filed Under: chicken, Dinner Recipes, easy, Pasta, quick recipes, Spring
Nutrition Facts
Pasta with Chicken and Asparagus
Amount Per Serving
Calories 622 Calories from Fat 144
% Daily Value*
Fat 16g25%
Saturated Fat 5g31%
Cholesterol 103mg34%
Sodium 475mg21%
Potassium 1000mg29%
Carbohydrates 82g27%
Fiber 5g21%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 37g74%
Vitamin A 1080IU22%
Vitamin C 9mg11%
Calcium 129mg13%
Iron 4mg22%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. Nutrition information is an estimate and is provided for informational purposes only. If you have any specific dietary concerns, please consult with your healthcare practitioner.

Let me know if you give this chicken, asparagus and lemon pasta a try in the comments below.

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3.58 from 14 votes (13 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. Robyn

    June 18, 2019 at 8:58 pm

    Made tonight! Very light and enjoyed the flavors. Will definitely make again! Only thing I did different was add a squeeze of half a lemon. Thank you!
    ★★★★★

    5 stars

    Reply
    • Louisa Clements

      June 24, 2019 at 2:48 pm

      So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Robyn! Great idea to add a squeeze of lemon. Yum!
      Reply

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Hi, I'm Louisa Clements & welcome to Living Lou. I've been creating simple, fresh & flavorful recipes for the modern kitchen for 14 years.
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