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.
Leann J says
Tried this tonight. Family enjoyed it so much. I added corn starch to thicken sauce. Very earthy taste. Quite easy to prepare. My daughter will take this recipe to college with her so she can make it for her roommates. I also added some mushrooms and onions as our family enjoys the extra seasonings and textures. Thank you for the recipe.
Murphy says
This recipe took a little extra cheese to thicken but it was really good.
Amber Reading says
This is absolutely the best! Just made it the other night for the first time and it will definitely be on our meal plans!! The whole family loved it! We doubled it and gave some to the neighbors, they loved it as well. Seriously it might be my favorite dinner ever!!
Skrilla says
I had cut leaf frozen spinach on hand and so I seasoned those to save some money. I already had spaghetti as well. Again, saved some money. I have a tomato garden, so I simply blanched and sautéed down, but I would’ve used some marinara in the pantry as well. The seasoned flour blend on the chicken chunks, DEFINITELY A MUST. All other portions and ingredients, perfect. I always add a little extra butter, shhhh!!!! Great recipe. Fresh basil, wonderful. Fresh garlic recommended. I used minced garlic and onion to sauté some squash to add in for a bit of bite.
Crystal says
Loved this recipe!!
Was easy to make, made for my family of 4 and everyone enjoyed, it was even better the next day as leftovers for my lunch! I will definitely be making this one again!