One of the great things about pasta dinners is they are easily a complete dinner with protein, veggies, noodles, and sauce. Another big bonus is they are usually delicious and comforting. This dairy-free chicken pasta primavera checks both boxes. It’s loaded with healthy spring-inspired vegetables and finished with a light cream sauce – no cheese required!
Dairy-Free Chicken Pasta Primavera in 30 Minutes or Less
This recipe was a “15 minutes or less” entry in the Fast & Fresh Dairy-Free Time Trials Recipe Contest, we cohosted with So Delicious many years ago. It was created and submitted by Marisa Raponi. It took us longer than 15 minutes to make it, which is why her recipe didn’t make it to the winner’s circle. But it’s still a tasty dish that’s rich with nutrition (a rainbow of vitamins and minerals!) and incredibly versatile. I’ve included several possible options for htis chicken primavera recipe below.
Additional Flavor & Ingredient Options
- Garlic: Marisa skips the garlic, but you can definitely add a few cloves with the herbs. We actually prefer to use it in place of the hot pepper.
- Dairy-Free Parmesan: There’s no rule that you can’t add some cheese alternative, if you wish. As a garnish, we really like our homemade dairy-free parmesan. But for a more classic cheesy vibe, you can add store-bought shreds, like Violife, Follow Your Heart, Good Planet, or Daiya.
- Herbs: If you want to use all fresh herbs, you can substitute 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme for the dried thyme. You can also substitute other herbs for the fresh basil and thyme, like oregano, marjoram, or even rosemary. If you don’t have any fresh herbs on hand, use dried. We won’t tell! You can even add Italian seasoning, to taste, in a pinch.
- Veggies: The vegetables in this recipe aren’t set in stone. Feel free to use what you have on hand, or what’s seasonal and on sale. Vegetables like broccoli, green beans, peas, and zucchini are also great in pasta primavera. If you opt for heartier vegetables, like carrots or parsnips, add them before the other vegetables as they will need to sauté longer.
- Lemon: I like a squeeze of lemon juice in my primavera. Feel free to add a little for that flavor pop, or serve this dairy-free chicken pasta primavera with lemon wedges.
Substituting Other Milk Alternatives
We like to use unsweetened coconut milk beverage (the drinkable type sold in large cartons) in roux-based sauces like this one. But rice milk and cashew milk are also great in sauces. Keep in mind, some of the protein-based milk alternatives (they types with protein isolates in the ingredients) work well, but some thicken oddly in sauces. You can certainly use oat milk if that’s your preference, but we aren’t fans of the taste or performance in savory sauces. For a boost of flavor, you can substitute 1 cup of chicken broth for 1 cup of the milk alternative.
Other Pasta / Noodle Options
You can use other dry pasta types or shapes. We really like fusilli, farfalle, or penne pasta in chicken pasta primavera, but spaghetti and fettuccine noodles work too. For an even quicker meal you can use angel hair pasta or dairy-free fresh pasta. You’ll need about 12 to 14 ounces of fresh pasta to substitute for the dry pasta.
Tips for Gluten-Free Chicken Pasta Primavera
You can substitute your favorite dry gluten-free pasta for the tagliatelle, and use a gluten-free flour blend in place of the all-purpose flour. In a pinch, you can substitute sweet rice flour, which is a “glutinous” type of rice flour that thickens sauces nicely. Or you can use 1 tablespoon regular rice flour + 1 tablespoon tapioca starch or cornstarch.
Special Diet Notes: Chicken Pasta Primavera
By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, optionally egg-free, peanut-free, added sugar-free, and soy-free. Just be sure to choose the pasta that suits your dietary needs.
For nut-free chicken pasta primavera, omit the garnish and use an unsweetened dairy-free and nut-free milk alternative in place of the almond milk.
Dairy-Free Chicken Pasta Primavera
Ingredients
Method
- Fill a large pot ¾ full of salted water, and put it over high heat.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the chicken and brown the pieces on each side. Remove the chicken to a plate, and reduce the heat to medium.
- Add the asparagus, onions, mushrooms, and bell pepper to the skillet. Sauté the vegetables for a few minutes or until they begin to soften. Add the parsley, kale or spinach, chili pepper (if using), basil, and thyme and toss to combine.
- Return the chicken to the skillet, add the flour, and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes. The flour should turn slightly golden, but not brown. Gradually stir in the almond milk to create a smooth sauce. Reduce the heat to low, and cook, stirring often, until the sauce thickens.
- As the sauce cooks, add the pasta to the boiling water. Stir to separate the noodles. When the water comes back up to a boil, reduce the heat to medium so the water is at a low boil. Using tongs gently toss the noodles every minute. Cook until the noodles are al dente. If it is fresh dried egg pasta it will take about 5 minutes. Drain the pasta, but reserve about a cup of the pasta water.
- Taste the sauce, and season with salt and pepper, as needed. If the sauce thickens too much, add some of the reserved pasta water, as needed.
- Add the cooked pasta to the chicken, vegetables, and sauce and toss to coat. Serve immediately, topped with the pistachios (if using).
Nutrition
Notes
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