This tomato basil chicken pasta has all the right flavors and a good amount of protein, too! Burst cherry tomatoes and loads of fresh basil take this creamy chicken pasta to a whole new level.
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You know those days when you’re craving pasta but also want to get in at least a decent amount of protein?
This tomato basil chicken pasta recipe is exactly what you should have on those days.
It tastes just like something you’d have in a restaurant, but it also has 31 grams of protein per serving, so you can still be on track with your macros.
Why you’ll love this tomato basil chicken pasta dish
- It has so much flavor from the combination of burst cherry tomatoes and fresh basil.
- The addition of white wine gives it that unique restaurant-like feel.
- You can easily make it your own by swapping the protein or adding more veggies.
What you’ll need
Rigatoni — I like to make this basil chicken pasta with rigatoni or mezzi rigatoni, as they’re great at capturing all that gorgeous sauce. Penne, fusilli or orecchiette would also work great.
Olive oil — You’ll need a bit of olive oil to brown the chicken and then again for the tomatoes.
Chicken — Boneless, skinless chicken breast is perfect here. As with most of my pasta dishes, I cut it into bite-sized pieces so it browns nicely and evenly.
Dried basil — Sprinkle some dried basil on the chicken when cooking it — it will infuse it with extra flavor to complement the fresh basil in the sauce.
Shallots — Their mellow flavor is perfect for this elegant sauce.
Garlic — Add as much as you like!
Cherry tomatoes — Since the burst tomatoes are the star ingredient of the sauce, use the best quality you can. You want them ripe enough so they begin to burst on their own as you press them down with your spoon.
Italian seasoning — Just a bit will do; you can sub with a mix of dried oregano and basil.
Tomato paste — This is for texture and color. I used the triple-concentrated kind here.
Dry white wine — Any dry white wine will do, but as always, it’s best to use one that you’d enjoy drinking. If you prefer to cook without alcohol, substitute with the same quantity of low-sodium chicken broth.
Fresh basil — I practically end up using a whole bunch here most of the time, but feel free to adjust to taste.
Heavy cream — To make the sauce extra luxurious!
Parmesan — Freshly grated Parmesan is the touch that turns this chicken basil pasta into a gourmet dish.
Pro tip
You can never have too much fresh basil or grated Parmesan in a pasta dish so measure with your heart!
How to make tomato basil chicken pasta
This is a quick overview with step-by-step photos. The full recipe with detailed steps is in the recipe card at the end of this post.
Cook the pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, cook the seasoned chicken in olive oil until golden.
In the same pan, sauté the shallots and garlic, then add the fresh tomatoes and cook until softened.
Stir in the seasonings, wine, then basil and cream until thickened.
Add the cooked chicken and pasta, toss with Parmesan, and serve with extra cheese and basil.
Substitutions and variations
- Switch the protein by replacing the chicken with shrimp or crumbled Italian sausage (or chicken sausages to keep things lean). Meatballs are another great choice here — try my healthier oven-baked meatballs.
- Add some other veggies to the nutritional content of this creamy tomato basil chicken pasta. Some great ideas include zucchini, asparagus, baby spinach, or sun-dried tomatoes.
- Swap the pasta with a whole wheat alternative or use your favourite low-carb pasta instead.
Recipe tips and notes
- Use some of the reserved pasta water to thin out the sauce as needed. The starch in it will help the sauce cling to the pasta better.
- It’s very important for this recipe to cook the pasta al dente because it will continue to cook a bit in the sauce, and you don’t want it to be overcooked.
- Never rinse your pasta before adding it to the pot! That will rinse off all that starchy goodness, and the sauce won’t stick to the pasta just as well.
What to serve with basil tomato chicken pasta
- Obviously, serve the pasta with loads of freshly grated Parmesan and heaps of extra fresh basil on top. Don’t forget to sprinkle some freshly cracked black pepper as well.
- This is a complete meal in itself, but if you want to turn it into a real feast, you can serve it with your favorite garlic bread on the side.
- If you want to serve wine with your pasta, a chilled glass of Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc goes great with it.
Leftovers and storage
- This chicken pasta dish is best served immediately because the creamy sauce doesn’t taste the same when reheated.
- However, if you do have any leftovers, you can reheat them in the microwave or on the stovetop. You may need to use a bit of chicken broth to loosen it up.
- I wouldn’t recommend freezing this pasta dish because the sauce and the pasta won’t have a pleasant texture when thawed.
More chicken pasta recipes
- Creamy Garlic Chicken Pasta
- Chicken Parmesan Pasta
- Chicken Broccoli Pasta
- Creamy Chicken Gnocchi
- Creamy Chicken Orzo
If you’ve tried this chicken tomato basil pasta recipe, please rate it and leave a comment below! I’d love to hear how it turned out.
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Tomato Basil Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 10 oz (300 g) rigatoni
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 pound (450 g) chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- 1 medium shallot, finely diced
- 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 14 oz (400 g) cherry tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ cup (125 ml) dry white wine
- 1 cup (25 g) fresh basil leaves, roughly shredded
- 1 cup (225 ml) heavy cream
- ⅓ cup (30 g) Parmesan, grated
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it generously. Cook the pasta according to the package directions until al dente. Reserve 2 cups of pasta water before draining.10 oz rigatoni
- While the pasta cooks, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan and add the chicken along with the salt, freshly ground black pepper, and dried basil. Stir well until the chicken is well seasoned and cook for 7 to 8 minutes until golden. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.2 tablespoons olive oil1 pound chicken breast½ teaspoon salt¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper½ teaspoon dried basil
- In the same pan, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and cook the shallots and garlic for 2-3 minutes over medium heat until softened.1 medium shallot2 large garlic cloves
- Add the cherry tomatoes and cook for five minutes or until they begin to burst. Press the tomatoes down with the back of a spoon to release their juices and cook for another minute.14 oz cherry tomatoes
- Stir in the Italian seasoning and tomato paste, then add the dry white wine and cook for 1-2 minutes until the alcohol mostly evaporates.
- Stir in the fresh basil and heavy cream and cook for one or two minutes or until the sauce has thickened to your liking.1 cup fresh basil leaves1 cup heavy cream
- Add the cooked chicken back to the pan, then stir in the pasta along with the freshly grated Parmesan cheese.⅓ cup Parmesan
- Adjust the seasoning to taste and serve the pasta immediately topped with some extra freshly grated Parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves.Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition is per serving and is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator.
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