Chicken Penne Arrabbiata

Chicken penne arrabbiata is the perfect pasta dish to try if you like fiery things! This is a twist on the traditional arrabbiata sauce that’s made just a bit heartier with the addition of tender chicken bits.

Arrabbiata is one of those classic Italian sauces that are incredibly flavourful yet super easy to make. The slowly simmered tomato sauce is bold and fiery, with amazing depth of flavour.

This spicy sauce has Roman roots and its name literally translates to “angry.” That’s quite a fitting name since the sauce is quite fiery from the red chilli flakes.

Arrabbiata is a sauce usually served with penne to create the famous penne all’arabbiata. However, this is quite a versatile sauce that pairs great with other things, like chicken or sausage.

My version of chicken penne arrabbiata is the perfect way to add some protein to this delicious sauce.

I keep the sauce traditional by making it with extra virgin olive oil, garlic, tomatoes and chilli, but bulk it up with finely diced onion and tender chicken bites. You can also use smoked sausage or Italian sausage instead.

Why you’ll love this chicken penne arrabbiata

• It’s a nice twist on penne all’arrabbiata and perfect if you want to balance the carbs with some protein.
• The flavours are rich and balanced at the same time.
• You can easily make this dish gluten-free by making it with gluten-free pasta.

What goes into chicken pasta arrabbiata

Pasta — Even though penne is the traditional choice for arrabbiata, you can use any other pasta shape you want.

Olive oil — You need just a bit of extra virgin olive oil to cook the chicken in.

Chicken breast — Cut the chicken breast into bite-sized pieces, so they cook quickly and evenly. If you want your chicken to be golden, cook it for a couple of minutes longer but make sure it doesn’t turn out dry.

Onion — Add more flavour to this chicken arrabiata recipe by adding a diced onion with the chicken.

Garlic and red chilli flakes — Feel free to adjust the garlic and chilli flakes quantities to suit your taste. Arrabbiata is supposed to be fiery but if you can’t handle the heat, only use ¼ teaspoon red chilli flakes.

Tomato paste — This is not a traditional ingredient in arabbiata, but I like it because it gives the sauce a more pronounced tomato flavour.

Chopped tomatoes — You can also use canned plum tomatoes in juice that you crush by hand.

Parmesan — Freshly grated Parmesan is always best but if you don’t have a block of Parmesan in the fridge, you can use shop-bought grated Parmesan instead.

Fresh basil — You can substitute this with fresh parsley.

How to make penne arrabbiata with chicken

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it generously and cook the pasta al dente according to the instructions on the package. Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large deep pan or a Dutch oven and cook the chicken breast for 4-5 minutes over medium-high heat until no longer pink (or until slightly golden if you like).

Stir in the onion, garlic and red chilli flakes and continue to cook for another minute.

Add the tomato paste and chopped tomatoes and stir to combine. Add a bit of pasta water if it looks too thick. Season to taste and bring to a simmer. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens.

Transfer the cooked pasta to the pot and stir in the Parmesan and basil. Serve immediately with extra grated Parmesan on top if you like.

Recipe notes and tips

• Leftovers will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Reheat the pasta in the microwave.
• Some other things you can add to this arrabbiata sauce include shrimp, chorizo, smoked sausage, and meatballs.
• Increase the veggie content of the recipe by adding bell peppers or zucchini with the onion.

If you liked this chicken arrabbiata recipe, you might also like some of my other easy pasta recipes:

• Pasta alla Boscaiola (Creamy Italian Sausage Pasta)
• Tuna Red Pesto Pasta
• Pasta alla Cenere (Gorgonzola and Black Olive Pasta)
• Pasta e Piselli (Pasta and Peas)
• Spicy Nduja Pasta

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