Chicken & Green Pea Skillet Meal (12 Minutes)
If you’re looking for a quick and flavorful dinner, this chicken and pea skillet meal is it. Made with just 7 simple ingredients, this recipe comes together in 15 minutes and is perfect for busy weeknights when you need something hearty but don’t want a pile of dishes to clean.
I originally created this recipe by tossing together what I had in the fridge, and I was instantly surprised by how delicious it turned out. Since then, this chicken and peas recipe has become one of my go-to dinners. It’s versatile, budget friendly, and pairs perfectly with rice, quinoa, or even pasta for a comforting, satisfying meal.
If you enjoy this chicken and peas recipe, you’ll also love some of my other reader favorites. Try my Italian chicken and veggies for a flavorful twist on weeknight chicken, or make easy bowl-style meals like these Greek chicken rice bowls and Buffalo chicken rice bowls. Each one is simple, packed with flavor, and perfect for busy nights when you want dinner on the table fast.
Ingredients
- Chicken breast (or boneless, skinless chicken thighs) – cut into bite size pieces for a quick and easy meal!
- Green peas (fresh or frozen) – green peas don’t get enough love! They are quick to cook and have such a unique flavor!
- Olive oil – This helps to ensure the chicken doesn’t stick to the skillet, you could also use avocado oil or ghee.
- Lemon Juice – helps to elevate the flavors and caramelizes when cooked in high heat, helping the chicken brown.
- Spices: Italian seasoning, Salt, Garlic powder – these all help add flavor and depth to the dish.
Step by step instructions
In a small bowl combine the olive oil, lemon juice, spices, salt and garlic powder. Cut the chicken into cubes. Pour about ¾ of the marinade over the chicken and stir well, making sure that all the cubes are well coated. Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and let cook 5 minutes (don’t touch it). After 5 minutes, stir the chicken around in the pan, Cook 2-3 more minutes. Once the chicken has cooked about 8-9 minutes total, add the peas and the rest of the marinade to the skillet. 
Cook the chicken and peas together for 2-3 more minutes until the peas are fully defrosted and warmed through.
Top tips
- Budget Tip: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are usually less expensive than chicken breast and work perfectly in this recipe with no changes needed.
- Time-Saving Tip: Chicken tenders are the fastest to cube into bite-size pieces, but if you’re using chicken breast or thighs, you can cut it up to 24 hours ahead and store in the fridge in a tightly sealed container.
Chicken and Pea Skillet Recipe
Guided Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds chicken breast (or boneless, skinless chicken thighs)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium lemon, juiced
- 2 teaspoons italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1.5 cups frozen peas (or fresh)
Instructions
- Start by cutting the chicken into bite size pieces. I like to use sharp kitchen shears for this but you could also use a knife and a plastic cutting board.1.5 pounds chicken breast (or boneless, skinless chicken thighs)
- Preheat a large skillet (stainless steel or cast iron) over medium high heat.
- Make the marinade by combining the olive oil, lemon juice, Italian seasoning, salt and garlic powder in a bowl. Stir well.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 medium lemon, juiced, 2 teaspoons italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon sea salt
- Pour about 3/4 of the marinade over the chicken and stir well. Reserve the rest of the marinade for the peas.
- Add the Italian chicken to the hot pan, try to get it all in one even layer than don't touch the chicken for 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes of cooking, the chicken can be stirred/sautéed in the pan. Continue to cook 3-4 minutes until the chicken is almost done cooking.
- Add the frozen peas and the rest of the marinade to the chicken and cook 2-3 minutes until the peas are defrosted and warmed through.1.5 cups frozen peas (or fresh)
- Serve hot with your favorite side dish.
Recipe Notes
- Caramelize the chicken: The lemon juice in the marinade has natural sugars that help the chicken caramelize. Let it cook undisturbed for the first few minutes to get that golden sear.
- Preheat the skillet: Start with a hot pan (preheat 2–3 minutes over medium-high heat) so the chicken sears instead of steaming.
Storing leftovers:
Fridge: Store leftover chicken pea skillet meal in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.Nutrition Information
What to serve with this skillet meal
Although you could serve this as is, I think adding a side dish makes it more of a meal. If I’m short on time, I almost always serve this with some rice or quinoa I cooked in the instant pot. If I have a little more time, I make my Instant pot rosemary garlic potatoes (so good) or creamy tahini pasta.
Other Flavors to Try
The combination of Italian seasonings with chicken and peas is so flavorful and simple! Some other great combinations include:
- Greek: Add 1 teaspoon dried oregano to the Italian seasoning and swap the lemon juice for red wine vinegar.
- Cajun: Use 1 tablespoon cajun seasoning + Juice from 1 lime (to replace the Italian seasoning and lemon juice)
