Tomato Basil Chicken Pasta (Printable)

Succulent chicken meets perfectly cooked pasta in a rich, herb-infused tomato sauce.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 ounces short pasta such as penne, rigatoni, or fusilli
02 - Salt for pasta water

→ Chicken

03 - 2 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 12 ounces total), cut into bite-sized pieces
04 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Tomato Basil Sauce

07 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
08 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 28 ounces canned diced tomatoes with juice
10 - 1/2 teaspoon sugar, optional
11 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
12 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
13 - 1 cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed and roughly chopped

→ Finishing

14 - 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus additional for serving
15 - Fresh basil leaves for garnish

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta.
02 - Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sauté until golden and cooked through, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
03 - In the same skillet, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and the minced garlic. Sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned.
04 - Pour in the diced tomatoes with juice, sugar, salt, and red pepper flakes if using. Simmer uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
05 - Stir in the chopped basil and cooked chicken. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes to meld the flavors.
06 - Add the drained pasta to the sauce, tossing to coat thoroughly. If needed, add a splash of reserved pasta water to achieve desired sauce consistency.
07 - Remove from heat and stir in grated Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh basil leaves and additional Parmesan cheese.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together in barely thirty minutes, which means you're eating dinner before 7 PM instead of standing around hungry.
  • Fresh basil stirred in at the end makes the whole thing taste bright and alive, nothing like those sad pale pasta dishes that sit under heat lamps.
  • One skillet does most of the work, so cleanup feels almost manageable compared to what you've just eaten.
  • High protein without feeling like deprivation, which is rare in weeknight cooking.
02 -
  • Reserve your pasta water before draining because that starchy liquid is what makes the sauce cling to the noodles instead of sliding off—I learned this the hard way by throwing it away and then watching my pasta look naked and sad.
  • Fresh basil added at the end tastes completely different from basil cooked for twenty minutes, so don't throw it in with the tomatoes no matter how tempting that seems.
03 -
  • Don't drain the pasta completely dry—a little water clinging to the noodles helps the sauce distribute more evenly and prevents everything from turning into a clump.
  • If your sauce is too thick by the time you add the pasta, thin it with reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time rather than pouring in a bunch at once and making it watery.
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