Chicken Tomato Pasta

This chicken tomato pasta is a super easy and delicious meal, just perfect for a busy weeknight. It has tender chicken pieces and a super flavorful tomato sauce that the entire family will love!

If your family loves chicken and you’re looking for new recipes to try, this chicken tomato pasta could become your next family favorite.

It’s a juicy chicken pasta dinner that’s not only easy and quick to make but also full of flavor.

It’s the perfect meal to try on those weeknights you’re staring at a pack of chicken breasts, wondering what to cook with it.

I love how easily this chicken with red sauce pasta comes together and how simple it is to customize.

I make it with mushrooms, but you can add other veggies you may have in the fridge to boost the nutritional content.

Why you’ll love this chicken tomato pasta

• It’s a super easy weeknight dinner that’s quick to make and healthy at the same time.
• You can add any extra veggies you like.
• The sauce is full of flavor and you can easily add some heat.

What goes into chicken and tomato pasta

Olive oil + butter — Cooking the chicken in a mix of olive oil and butter sets up an excellent flavor base for the sauce. You can also use just olive oil if you like.

Chicken — I used chicken breast to keep things low-fat but you can also go for boneless chicken thighs if you like.

Onion — Dice the onion finely so it cooks quickly. Shallots are also a good idea here.

Mushrooms — Closed-cup (crimini) mushrooms are great in this pasta sauce, but you can use whatever mushrooms you have on hand.

Garlic — Freshly chopped or minced garlic is always best in this type of sauce.

Red chili flakes — Adjust the red chili flakes to suit your taste The recommended ¼ teaspoon results in just a bit of a kick.

Herbs — A mix of dried oregano and dried basil infuses a Mediterranean flavor into this chicken pasta dish. Substitute with 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning mix if that’s what you have on hand.

Tomato paste + crushed tomatoes — This sauce is truly one for tomato lovers! I make it with a mix of double-concentrated tomato paste and crushed tomatoes for the best flavor.

Baby spinach — Feel free to use more baby spinach or use kale instead.

Pasta — I used penne to make this chicken tomato pasta, but any other kind of short pasta would work. To make this pasta dish even healthier, use whole wheat pasta.

Parmesan — Freshly grated Parmesan is the perfect finish for this pasta.

How to make chicken with red sauce pasta

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it generously and cook the pasta al dente according to the directions on the package. Reserve 1-2 cups of pasta water before draining.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large, deep pan and melt the butter in it.

Add the chicken, season with a bit of salt and freshly ground black pepper and cook for 5-6 minutes over medium heat until slightly golden.

Add the onion and mushrooms and continue to cook for another 3-4 minutes until the mushrooms are cooked through and reduced in size.

Stir in the garlic, red chili flakes, dried basil and dried oregano and cook for another minute.

Next, add the tomato paste and crushed tomatoes. Bring the sauce to a simmer and let it bubble for 5 minutes.

Stir in the baby spinach and simmer for 1 more minute, then transfer the cooked pasta to the pan and toss it well.

Stir in the grated Parmesan, season to taste and serve with some extra grated Parmesan on top if you like.

Recipe notes and tips

• If you have any leftovers, they will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days. It’s best to reheat this pasta in the microwave.
• Other veggies you can add to this pasta dish include zucchini, bell peppers and peas.
• Make this chicken tomato pasta even more flavorful by adding some bacon.

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

• Pink Sauce Pasta
• Easy Ground Turkey Pasta
• Creamy Chicken and Bacon Pasta
• Spicy Sausage Pasta
• Creamy Chicken Boursin Pasta

Looking for more delicious inspiration? Follow Skinny Spatula on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest!