By Twenty-two weeks. The baby is now visibly moving when I sit still — small bumps and ripples across my belly that come every twenty minutes or so. Dustin felt the first kicks Wednesday night with his hand on my belly while we were watching a movie on the couch. He cried for thirty seconds without saying anything. He has had his hand on my belly almost continuously since Wednesday.
Sunday I made chicken and peas with pasta because the meal-prep efficiency mattered — the dish reheats well, scales for the week, and is mild on the second-trimester stomach. The cooking has become more meal-prep-oriented as the pregnancy progresses; I am cooking once on Sundays for three or four meals across the week, which is a different rhythm than the per-meal cooking of pre-pregnancy.
The technique: a pound and a half of boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into one-inch pieces, salted, seared in butter for six minutes until golden. One yellow onion diced and four cloves of garlic minced added with the chicken for the last three minutes.
The sauce: a half-cup of dry white wine added to deglaze, reduced two minutes. A cup of low-sodium chicken broth, a half-cup of heavy cream, a tablespoon of Dijon mustard, salt, pepper. Simmered five minutes until thickened. A cup of frozen peas added for the last two minutes (frozen peas thaw and warm through quickly; don’t over-cook them or they go gray-green and lose their bright pop).
Off the heat, finish with two tablespoons of fresh chopped dill, the zest of one lemon, and a squeeze of the lemon’s juice. Adjust salt.
Tossed with a pound of bow-tie pasta cooked al dente in salted water. Plated with extra parmesan. Dustin and I ate at the dining table at six PM. The leftovers reheat well across three lunches with a splash of additional broth to loosen the sauce.
Cream-and-mustard sauce. Frozen peas at the end. Lemon and dill to finish. Here’s the build.
Chicken and Peas with Pasta
Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Total Time: 30 min | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 8 oz penne or rotini pasta
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining, then drain and set aside.
- Season the chicken. Toss chicken pieces with salt, pepper, and onion powder until evenly coated.
- Cook the chicken. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken in a single layer and cook 5–6 minutes, turning once, until golden and cooked through. Remove chicken to a plate.
- Build the sauce. Reduce heat to medium. Add garlic to the same skillet and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in chicken broth and stir, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Add peas and pasta. Stir in frozen peas and cooked pasta. Return chicken to the skillet and toss everything together. Add a splash of reserved pasta water if the mixture looks dry.
- Finish with Parmesan. Remove from heat. Sprinkle Parmesan over the top and toss to combine. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with parsley if desired and serve immediately.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 410 | Protein: 34g | Fat: 10g | Carbs: 44g | Fiber: 4g | Sodium: 390mg