Pea, fennel and chicken pasta recipe

Name: Pea, fennel and chicken pasta
Yield: Serves 2
Ingredients: 2 chicken breast fillets; 1 large fennel, bulb cut into slices, any fronds finely sliced; 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; ½ orange, zested and juiced; 4 thyme sprigs, leaves picked and roughly chopped; 1 small garlic clove, finely chopped; 150g penne; 100g fresh or frozen peas; 20g watercress; 1 tbsp sherry vinegar; ½ tsp Dijon mustard

Griddled fennel, sweet peas and fragrant watercress bring fresh flavour to this chicken pasta recipe. Marinating in a zesty thyme dressing before griddling gives tender meat and extra fragrant fennel. A quick vinegar and mustard dressing brings this dinner idea for two together perfectly.

See method

Serves 2
10 mins to prepare and 15 mins to cook, plus marinating and resting
599 calories / serving

Dairy-free
Healthy

Shop your ingredients

Tesco British Chicken Breast Fillets 650G
2 chicken breast fillets
£4.90
£7.54/kg
Tesco Fennel Each
1 large fennel, bulb cut into slices, any fronds finely sliced
£1.25
£1.25/each
Tesco Extra Virgin Olive Oil 250Ml
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
£3.40
£13.60/litre
Tesco Oranges Each
½ orange, zested and juiced
£0.35
£0.35/each
Tesco Fresh Cut Thyme 20G
Aldi Price Match
4 thyme sprigs, leaves picked and roughly chopped
£0.50
£25.00/kg
Tesco Garlic 4 Pack
Aldi Price Match
1 small garlic clove, finely chopped
£0.87
£0.22/each
Hearty Food Co. Penne Pasta 500G
Aldi Price Match
150g penne
£0.41
£0.82/kg
Grower's Harvest Garden Peas 900G
This product's currently out of stock
100g fresh or frozen peas
Tesco Watercress 80G
20g watercress
£1.40
£17.50/kg
Belazu Gran Reserva Sherry Vinegar 250Ml
Any 3 for 2 Clubcard Price - Cheapest Product Free - Selected Chilled Items
Offer valid for delivery from 19/03/2026 until 08/11/2026
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
£7.50
£30.00/litre
Tesco Dijon Mustard 185G
Aldi Price Match
½ tsp Dijon mustard
£0.45
£2.43/kg

Method

Put the chicken and fennel slices in a bowl. Whisk the oil with the orange zest and juice, thyme and garlic, then pour half over the chicken and fennel. Cover and chill for at least 10 mins to marinate.
Heat a griddle over a high heat and cook the chicken and fennel for 10-15 mins, turning the fennel a few times and the chicken halfway through, until the chicken is cooked through and the fennel is soft at the edges. Remove from the heat; set aside to rest for 5 mins.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta to pack instructions, adding the peas for the last 4 mins. Drain, then transfer to a large bowl.
Slice the chicken and mix with the pasta. Add the fennel and watercress; season. Whisk the remaining dressing with the vinegar and mustard and stir in. Top with any fronds to serve.