This Tomato Basil Chicken Pasta is quick and easy to make, incredibly delicious, and ready in under 30 minutes. Pan-seared chicken cooked in a rich buttery tomato sauce, flavored with fresh basil, and your favorite pasta soaking it all up. Perfect for weeknight dinners!
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Easy Tomato Basil Chicken Pasta
I love quick and easy 30-minute meals. This chicken pasta with tomato basil sauce is packed with fresh flavors. Basil brings freshness to this dish and pairs extremely well with tomatoes, garlic, chicken, and Parmesan cheese.
This tomato basil pasta recipe brings the best of the Mediterranean flavors to your table. The creamy richness of the butter added at the end to the sauce takes this chicken pasta dish to the next level.
This one-pot tomato basil chicken pasta is not only tasty but filling too. Similar 30-minute chicken pasta recipes that you may like are tomato spinach chicken pasta, creamy cajun chicken pasta, and spicy chicken pasta.
Why we love this Tomato Basil Pasta
- Quick 30-minute meal - It takes only 30 minutes from start to finish. From cooking the pasta to making homemade pasta sauce and tossing it with chicken, everything is under 30 minutes.
- Simple ingredients - This easy chicken pasta recipe is made with pantry staple ingredients and is so easy to customize. Don’t have fresh tomatoes no worries, substitute them with canned ones.
- Tastes incredibly delicious - The combination of the crispy pan-seared chicken and pasta in a creamy tomato basil sauce gives a wonderful taste to every bite. It’s going to be your next family favorite meal.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Pasta - I used spaghetti but fettuccine, penne, rotini, or any other pasta works just fine.
- Tomatoes – Use fresh tomatoes, it will give tomato basil sauce the best flavor. However, canned tomatoes can also be used. Just choose a good quality brand and blend them before adding them to the skillet.
- Chicken – Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs both work wonderfully. You can even use leftover chicken like grilled chicken, or rotisserie chicken. Shred or slice them and add them to the sauce.
- Seasoning – Salt, freshly ground black pepper, sugar, garlic powder (optional), and red pepper flakes to taste. If you do not like spicy dishes skip chili flakes.
- Garlic - I like to add lots of fresh minced garlic. Add as per taste.
- Fresh Basil - Use fresh basil for best results. If not available substitute with dry basil. Substitute ¼ cup of finely chopped fresh basil with 1 teaspoon of dry basil. Taste it and add more as per your taste.
- Butter - I used unsalted butter for this recipe.
- Cheese - I used freshly grated parmesan cheese. You can add any of your favorite cheeses like Cheddar cheese, Feta cheese, or Mozzarella cheese.
For the detailed list of ingredients & their measurements, please check out the recipe card below.
How To Make Tomato Basil Chicken Pasta
- Prep the chicken. Cut the chicken breast lengthwise or pound it for even thickness. Season it with salt, pepper, garlic powder and oil. Keep it aside.
- Sear the chicken. Heat 2 teaspoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon of butter and let it melt. Add the marinated chicken to the heated skillet. Do not overcrowd it. I cooked the chicken in 2 batches. Cook until golden brown on both sides and cooked through. Remove chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Cook the pasta. Boil water in a vessel. Add salt. Cook pasta 1 minute less than the timing suggested on the package. We will cook the pasta later with the sauce again. Reserve 2 cups of pasta water. Drain off the remaining water. Rinse pasta with cold water to stop further cooking process.
- Make the sauce. In the same skillet, over medium heat, add 1 teaspoon butter and garlic to the skillet. Cook for 30 seconds or until the sides of the garlic start to become golden. Add tomato puree; cook stirring continuously scraping all the tiny bits sticking to the skillet. Season the sauce with sugar, pepper, salt, and red chili flakes. Cook on medium heat for 5-7 minutes. Simmer the sauce on low heat, stirring occasionally until the sauce thickens. While the sauce is simmering, slice the cooked chicken breasts.
- Combine pasta, basil, and sauce. When the sauce thickens, add basil leaves. Stir to combine. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and ½ cup of pasta water. Combine stirring continuously until the sauce boils. Taste the sauce and add more salt or pepper to taste. Add cooked chicken and pasta to the skillet. Toss to combine. Cook until pasta absorbs the sauce well. If your pasta looks dry, you can add more pasta water. Now add Parmesan cheese and remaining fresh basil. Give everything a final toss and serve.
Tips to make the Best Pasta with tomato and basil sauce
- While cooking pasta do not cook it completely. Cook 1 minute less than the time mentioned on the package. We will cook pasta again with sauce and you don’t want your pasta to become soggy.
- Do not overcrowd the pan while cooking the chicken. It will steam them instead of getting a perfect golden sear. I cooked the chicken in 2 batches.
- Reserve some pasta water. The starchy pasta water can help to loosen the sauce and make it coat the pasta more evenly.
- You can add 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning to enhance the flavor of tomato basil sauce.
- While serving, garnish with more parmesan cheese and fresh basil. This just brightens up the flavors.
Frequently Asked Questions
What to serve with this chicken pasta?
Tomato basil chicken pasta is a complete meal in itself. You can serve it with Greek yogurt coleslaw or garlic bread as a side dish.
How long should I simmer the sauce?
Simmer the sauce for at least 10-15 minutes, or until it has thickened and the flavors have had a chance to meld. Simmering allows the ingredients in the sauce to slowly release their flavors and meld together, creating a richer and deeper taste.
What type of pasta should I use?
You can use any pasta for this recipe. I used spaghetti but you can use fettuccine, Farfalle pasta, fusilli, penne pasta, rotini, or any of your favorite pasta. Make it healthier with whole wheat pasta.
How to substitute dried basil for fresh basil?
The general rule for substituting fresh herbs for dried herbs is to use 1 teaspoon of dried herbs for every 3 teaspoons of chopped fresh herbs. For example, 3 teaspoons of freshly chopped basil would be equal to 1 teaspoon of dried basil. For this recipe, substitute ¼ cup of chopped fresh basil leaves with 1 teaspoon of dried basil. Taste and add more dried basil leaves as per taste.
Variations that you can try
- Add heavy cream to the recipe to make creamy tomato basil chicken pasta.
- Add more Mediterranean flavors - Add a teaspoon of oregano or thyme to this Mediterranean chicken pasta.
- Chunky tomato basil sauce - If you prefer a chunky texture to a smooth one, skip blending the tomatoes and chop them instead.
- Substitute chicken with shrimp.
- Add sautéed bell peppers, zucchini, or mushrooms. Even steamed broccoli will work just fine.
Leftovers and Storage
- Leftovers should be stored within 2 hours of cooking them. Transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate. Stays good for 2 days. Reheat and serve.
- Reheating - The pasta will soak up the sauce and become dry if you store it. Add some chicken broth or water while reheating it.
- Check for any signs of spoilage like black spots, bad odor, or bad taste. If you find any discard it immediately.
More Pasta Recipes To Try
- Lemon Chicken Pasta Salad
- Tomato Pasta
- Garlic Chili Oil Noodles
- Summer Pasta Salad
- Spaghetti Aglio, Olio e Peperoncino
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Recipe Card
Tomato Basil Chicken Pasta
This Tomato Basil Chicken Pasta is quick and easy to make, incredibly delicious, and ready in under 30 minutes. Pan-seared chicken cooked in a rich buttery tomato sauce, flavored with fresh basil, and your favorite pasta soaking it all up. Perfect for weeknight dinners!
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Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 560kcal
Equipment
- 1 Large heavy bottom skillet
Ingredients
To marinate chicken
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts sliced lengthwise (it will give you 4 chicken breast slices)
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- salt to taste
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
For the chicken pasta
- 150 g uncooked noodles (spaghetti or any other shape pasta works fine)
- 2 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter, divided
- 1.5 teaspoon finely chopped or minced garlic
- 1.5 cups fresh tomato puree (fresh tomatoes, cut into quarters, deseed them, puree in blender.) substitute canned tomatoes.
- ½ teaspoon sugar optional
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper add as per taste
- salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves (cut into thin strips) (substitute - 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves)
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese (or any of your favorite cheese)
For Garnishing
- Parmesan cheese (as required)
- Fresh basil leaves (as required)
Instructions
- Prep the chicken. Cut the chicken breast lengthwise or pound it for even thickness. Season it with salt, pepper, garlic powder and oil. Keep it aside.
- Sear the chicken. Heat 2 teaspoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon of butter and let it melt. Add the marinated chicken to the heated skillet. Do not overcrowd it. Cook until golden brown on both sides and cooked through. Remove chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Cook the pasta. Boil water in a vessel. Add salt. Cook pasta 1 minute less than the timing suggested on the package. We will cook the pasta later with the sauce again. Reserve 2 cups of pasta water. Drain off the remaining water. Rinse with cold water to stop further cooking process.
- Make the sauce. In the same skillet, over medium heat, add 1 teaspoon butter and garlic to the skillet. Cook for 30 seconds or until the sides of the garlic start to become golden. Add tomato puree; cook stirring continuously scraping all the tiny bits sticking to the skillet. Season the sauce with sugar, pepper, salt, and red chili flakes. Simmer the sauce on low heat, stirring occasionally until the sauce thickens. While the sauce is simmering, slice the cooked chicken breasts.
- Combine pasta, basil, and sauce. When the sauce thickens, add basil leaves. Stir to combine. Add butter and ½ cup of pasta water. Combine stirring continuously until the sauce boils. Taste the sauce and add more salt or pepper to taste. Add cooked chicken and pasta to the skillet. Toss to combine. Cook until pasta absorbs the sauce well. If your pasta looks dry, you can add more pasta water. Now add Parmesan cheese and remaining fresh basil. Give everything a final toss and serve.
Notes
- While cooking pasta do not cook it completely. Cook 1 minute less than the time mentioned on the package. We will cook pasta again with sauce and you don’t want your pasta to become soggy.
- Do not overcrowd the pan while cooking the chicken. It will steam them instead of getting a perfect golden sear. I cooked the chicken in two batches.
- Reserve some pasta water. The starchy pasta water can help to loosen the sauce and make it coat the pasta more evenly.
- While serving, garnish with more parmesan cheese and fresh basil. This just brightens up the flavors.
- Leftovers should be stored within 2 hours of cooking them. Transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate. Stays good for 2 days. Reheat and serve.
- Reheating - The pasta will soak up the sauce and become dry if you store it. Add some chicken broth or water while reheating it. Check for any signs of spoilage like black spots, bad odor, or bad taste. If you find any discard immediately.
Nutrition
Calories: 560kcal
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Arti Singh
Super delicious tomato chicken pasta recipe tried and loved it❤️. Thank you for sharing.
Preeti
Glad you liked it.