Made in one pan in only 30 minutes! This creamy chicken and tomato pasta is the comforting, satisfying and balanced meal you need this winter.
Nothing is cozier than winding down with a steaming bowl of pasta. If you couldn't already tell that I'm obsessed with creamy, one pan pasta recipes, like my vegan red pepper pasta or my sausage pasta bake... hopefully you've gotten the hint.
This creamy chicken and tomato pasta has been my recent go-to because of how simple, yet delicious it is. It's also all made in one pan, because I don't want you to sacrifice your evening to a stack of dirty dishes.
With beautiful, juicy tomatoes and a generous topping of parmesan, there is so much to love with this pasta. It's actually quite balanced too- we've got lots of protein in our chicken, and some spinach thrown in for colour. This is a recipe that will definitely be a winner for Valentine's Day dinner.
Ingredients
- Penne pasta
- Chicken breast
- Salt and pepper
- Flour
- Butter
- Garlic
- Cherry tomatoes
- Italian seasoning
- Cream
- Chicken broth
- Tomato sauce
- Spinach
- Parmesan
- Fresh basil
Instructions
Cook pasta according to package instructions.
While the pasta is cooking, slice chicken breasts into 3 inch cubes, add them to a large mixing bowl and season with salt, black pepper and flour
In a hot pan, add half of the butter. Once butter is melted, add chicken breast and cook for about 7 minutes until the insides are no longer pink in colour. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside on a plate.
To the same pan, add the remaining butter and garlic. Saute garlic until fragrant (about 2 minutes), add in cherry tomatoes and spices and cook until tomatoes begin to soften (about 3-4 minutes).
Pour in cream, chicken broth and tomato sauce, and bring to a simmer.
Once simmering, add in spinach and parmesan cheese and stir (this may need to be done in batches to allow room for all of the spinach).
Once spinach is wilted, add the cooked chicken and pasta, stir and serve with fresh basil and parmesan cheese.
Substitutions and Variations
To make gluten-free: Use gluten-free pasta of choice.
To make dairy-free: Use dairy free butter and cream (Becel has amazing options for both) and nutritional yeast instead of the parmesan cheese!
To make vegetarian: Leave out the chicken and just make a creamy tomato pasta!
Missing an ingredient? Try these:
- Butter: Can be subbed with olive oil
- Pasta: Use any pasta you have on hand- this would also be great with oil (or even chickpea or lentil pasta for additional protein)
- Tomato sauce: Not a substitute, but look for a lower sugar and salt option- my favourite is the Victoria one from Costco!
- Spinach: Curly green kale leaves is a great substitution! Try mixing in steamed broccoli for additional vegetables if desired!
Equipment
Storage
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Top Tip
Make sure you are using a large enough pan- once everything is added together, it will get very full!
Frequently Asked Questions
I am a firm believer that all foods can fit in a healthy lifestyle! This pasta is slightly more heavy than some of the other recipes on my blog but that doesn’t mean it isn’t healthy! It’s full of protein, has some fresh vegetables added and pasta is a great source of carbohydrates (you can even use whole wheat pasta for additional fibre).
If you’re looking for a great side dish to increase the vegetable content I recommend my kale salad!
More Favourite Pasta Recipes
- Creamy Vegan Red Pepper Pasta Sauce (without nuts)
- One Pan Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta
- Hidden Veggie Mac and Cheese
- 10 Minute Easy Tofu Alfredo
PS. I love seeing my recipes in action! If you decide to make this creamy chicken and tomato pasta, don't forget to snap a photo and tag me on Instagram- @nourishedbynic or leave a comment and rating below letting me know how you liked it!
📖 Recipe
Creamy Chicken and Tomato Pasta (ONE Pan)
Ingredients
- 2 cups dry penne pasta cooked according to package instructions
- 1 lb chicken breasts boneless, skinless
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoon flour
- 4 tablespoon butter divided
- 4 cloves garlic pressed
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1.5 tablespoon italian seasoning blend
- 1.5 cups cooking cream
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ½ cup tomato sauce
- 3 cups spinach or about 3 large handfuls
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese shredded (plus additional for serving)
- Fresh basil for serving
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package instructions.
- While the pasta is cooking, slice chicken breasts into 3 inch cubes, add them to a large mixing bowl and season with salt, black pepper and flour
- In a hot pan, add half of the butter. Once butter is melted, add chicken breast and cook for about 7 minutes until the insides are no longer pink in colour. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside on a plate.
- To the same pan, add the remaining butter and garlic. Saute garlic until fragrant (about 2 minutes), add in cherry tomatoes and spices and cook until tomatoes begin to soften (about 3-4 minutes). Pour in cream, chicken broth and tomato sauce, and bring to a simmer.
- Once simmering, add in spinach and parmesan cheese and stir (this may need to be done in batches to allow room for all of the spinach). Once spinach is wilted, add the cooked chicken and pasta, stir and serve with fresh basil and parmesan cheese.
Danni Mayfield says
What exactly is cooking cream? Half and half or heavy cream or ? We like it all, so whatever works best.
Nicole Addison says
Hi Danni, I recommend using heavy cream!
Cordelia says
Can you use cream cheese?
Nicole Addison says
I have not personally tried! I believe it may be a little to thick but you could try adding cream cheese and thinning it out with some milk!
Brenda McCredie says
How much cream do you use?
Nicole Addison says
Hi Brenda,
It's outlined in the recipe card above- 1.5 cups! Enjoy!
Emma says
This recipe is sooo good! My family loved how saucy it was. More one pot dinners please!
Olivia says
Great recipe and I really do love the flavors but it’s definitely a very thin sauce. I had to stir in some cornstarch water to thicken it a bit. Next time I’ll just make a roux at the beginning.
Britt says
Very simple and yummy. Although instead of chicken thighs, could I have used chicken breast and if so how to properly cook it for this dish? I feel chicken thighs are on the rubbery, but still tender side. It’s a texture thing for me. I used a mix of raw milk and some heavy cream. Sauce was thin, but it’s thickening as it cools and I used Orzo instead of penne. Orzo is my jam - I just don’t prefer thick pasta. So good!
Nicole Addison says
Hi Britt! I actually do use chicken breast in this recipe, so you could just follow the steps as written! Yes I find the sauce thickens while it cools as well, I'm so glad the recipe worked great for you using orzo!
Mercedes says
While the flavors were good the sauce was way too thin made as the recipe suggested. It was more like soup then a pasta with sauce, even with extra parmesan cheese.
Nicole Addison says
Hi Mercedes,
Oh no I'm sorry this recipe didn't work out for you! I would suggest allowing the sauce to simmer with the lid off next time to help absorb some of the excess liquid!
Nicole
Tina says
This is DELICIOUS!! Everyone loved it so much that next time I'll be doubling the recipe. Def a keeper in our household. Thank you♥️
Mary Anne Peterson says
Sometimes I thicken with cornstarch or extra parm cheese in a recipe like this. Spinach adds a lot of moisture to the dish. I've even undercooked the pasta so it could simmer in the sauce to doneness.
Sheila Moore says
I added a little corn flour to mine, more because I was in a hurry and didn't have time to wait for it to reduce, but it was perfect and everyone loved it. I will be doing it infuture with a little cornflour added into the stock before I mix through with cream. Such an easy, hugely tasty recipe and a winner in our house
Christina Perez says
We tried this recipe this week and we all loved it, especially my 16 year old son! He immediately said it was a keeper and asked that we make it again. It was easy and delicious. Thank you!
Pam Mc says
Excellent dish. I did not have cream so substituted Blue Cheese dressing. Gave it a little more tart taste but was delicious. This time of year, you can't beat pasta dishes and this is one I'll make again
Beatrice e says
It is refreshingly tastefully, easy to make and absolutely a keeper. We loved all the nuances of the flavors