Tomato Basil Chicken Pasta with Cozy Sauce
A quick and easy recipe for creamy tomato basil chicken pasta, perfect for a weeknight meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American, Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 ounces orecchiette pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound chicken breast, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 0.5 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Cook orecchiette pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Season diced chicken with salt and pepper. Cook until golden brown and cooked through. Remove chicken from skillet.
- Add minced garlic to the same skillet and sauté until fragrant. Add diced tomatoes with juices, dried basil, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in heavy cream until warmed through. Add grated Parmesan cheese and stir until melted and sauce is creamy.
- Return cooked chicken to the skillet. Add drained orecchiette pasta. Toss to coat pasta and chicken in sauce. Add reserved pasta water if needed to reach desired consistency.
- Garnish with fresh basil leaves and serve immediately.
Notes
- Do not overcook chicken to keep it juicy.
- Reserve pasta water to adjust sauce consistency.
- Taste sauce before adding extra salt due to Parmesan cheese.
- Add red pepper flakes with garlic for extra flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 650
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 500mg
- Fat: 35g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 120mg
Keywords: tomato basil chicken pasta, creamy pasta, easy chicken recipe, weeknight dinner, italian pasta, comfort food