Pasta Shells with Peas & Chicken

This pasta bake keeps things light and herb-forward. Small shell pasta gets tossed with sauteed chicken, green peas, red bell pepper, and a generous mix of fresh basil, thyme, and parsley. Parmesan goes in before baking, melting into the shells as the whole dish heats through in the oven.

The fresh herbs are what set this apart from a typical heavy pasta bake. Three different herbs bring a bright, garden-fresh quality that stays vibrant even after the 20-minute bake. No cream sauce, no heavy cheese blanket, just olive oil, herbs, and a hit of Parmesan.

Sauteing the chicken with garlic and bell pepper builds a quick flavor base before everything gets combined in the baking dish.

Kitchen Tips

• Cook the pasta, drain it, and rinse under cold water before combining. This stops the cooking so the shells don’t turn mushy during the bake.
• Use fresh herbs, not dried. The recipe depends on their bright, aromatic quality. Dried herbs won’t deliver the same result.
• Toss everything well before baking so the herbs and Parmesan distribute evenly through the shells.
• Serve hot straight from the oven. This dish is best fresh and doesn’t reheat as well as cream-based bakes.

Variations

• Add a squeeze of lemon juice before serving to brighten all the herb flavors.
• Stir in sun-dried tomatoes or artichoke hearts for a Mediterranean twist.
• Swap chicken for cooked shrimp, adding them in the last 5 minutes of baking so they don’t overcook.