Description
This Creamy Tomato Chicken Pasta features tender bite-sized chicken breast cooked in a rich and spicy tomato cream sauce, combined with al dente rotini pasta and finished with melted mozzarella cheese. A quick and comforting weeknight dish that’s flavorful, creamy, and easy to prepare.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 8 ounce rotini pasta (uncooked)
Chicken and Seasoning
- 1 pound chicken breast (skinless and boneless, cut into bite size pieces)
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- ½ teaspoon red chili flakes
- ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
Aromatics and Herbs
- 1 cup tomatoes (chopped)
- 6 green onions (chopped)
- ½ cup parsley (fresh, chopped)
Sauce
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup heavy cream (or half and half)
- ½ cup chicken broth (low sodium or no sodium added)
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese (shredded)
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rotini pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente, meaning it should still be firm to the bite. Once cooked, drain the pasta and set it aside.
- Melt the Butter: In a large skillet, melt the unsalted butter over medium-high heat to prepare for cooking the chicken and infusing the sauce with richness.
- Cook the Chicken: Add the bite-sized chicken pieces to the skillet. Sprinkle the chili powder, red chili flakes, salt, and pepper over the chicken. Cook the chicken, stirring occasionally, until it is no longer pink inside and fully cooked through, which should take roughly 5 minutes.
- Add Vegetables and Herbs: Stir in the chopped tomatoes, green onions, and fresh parsley into the skillet with the chicken. Cook this mixture for an additional 2 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together.
- Create the Sauce: Pour in the heavy cream (or half and half) and chicken broth. Increase the heat and bring the mixture to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally to combine the sauce ingredients smoothly.
- Combine with Pasta: Add the drained rotini pasta directly into the skillet with the sauce and chicken. Stir everything together thoroughly so the pasta is well coated with the creamy tomato sauce.
- Finish with Cheese and Serve: Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the pasta. Optionally garnish with additional chopped parsley. Serve warm immediately for the best creamy texture and flavor.
Notes
- This Creamy Tomato Chicken Pasta is a weeknight wonder, tender chicken, perfectly al dente pasta, and a rich, spicy tomato cream sauce that clings to every bite.
- It’s quick, comforting, and just fancy enough to make you feel like you’ve got your life together.
- You can substitute half and half for heavy cream for a lighter sauce, though the richness will be slightly less.
- Adjust the chili powder and red chili flakes to control the spice level to your preference.
- Use low sodium chicken broth to better control the saltiness of the dish.
- Fresh parsley adds a bright herbal note; feel free to add more for garnish or flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 733 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 706 mg
- Fat: 41 g
- Saturated Fat: 24 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 42 g
- Cholesterol: 185 mg
