Love classic Margherita pizza? Then you've got to try this simple Chicken Tomato Pasta recipe featuring tender chicken, ripe tomatoes, fresh garlic, complex parmesan cheese, and plenty of aromatic Italian seasonings. Made in one pot with 9 simple ingredients in 25 minutes or less, this chicken pasta with tomatoes is super easy to prepare and even easier to devour!Recipe can be scaled up or down by using the slider if you hover your mouse over the number of Servings.
Brown Chicken: Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large straight sided skillet, or Dutch oven, over medium high heat. Add the chicken and season generously with salt and pepper. Cook until golden brown, but not cooked through, about 4-6 minutes total. Remove chicken to a plate.
Saute Onions: Reduce heat to medium low and add in the oil and remaining butter. Once melted, increase heat to medium and add in the onions and season with salt and pepper. Sauté for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add Tomatoes, then Aromatics: Add in half of the tomatoes and continue to cook for 1 minute. Add in the garlic, Italian seasonings and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add Flour: Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables. Cook, stirring, for another 1-2 minutes.
Add the Liquids: Add in the chicken broth and half-and-half, whisking constantly to combine. Bring to a simmer.
Add Browned Chicken and Pasta: Add the chicken, along with the pasta, to the pan. Bring to a slow boil, stirring occasionally, then immediately reduce to a simmer.
Cook Chicken Pasta: Cover the pan and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the pasta is just al dente - uncovering the pan one or twice to stir during cooking to prevent the pasta noodles from sticking to each other.
Add Parmesan: Reduce heat to low and stir in the parmesan cheese until melted. Stir in the remaining tomatoes. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.
Garnish and Serve: Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the fresh basil and dollop with the ricotta. Stir to combine. Garnish with more basil, parmesan and red pepper flakes if desired. Serve and Enjoy!
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Notes
Chicken: You can absolutely substitute boneless, skinless chicken thighs for the breasts if desired. Just be sure to adjust (increase) the cooking time in step one by a couple minutes.
Cooking chicken: Cook the chicken in two separate batches if necessary to not overcrowd the pan. Overcrowding the pan will cause the chicken to steam, instead of sear and your chicken won't get golden brown in color.
Garlic: The amount of garlic depends on personal preference. If you like a lot of garlic flavor, use 6 cloves. If you are garlic averse, use 4 small cloves.
Parmesan: I highly recommend using fresh grated parmesan for this (and any) recipe. That stuff in a green can not only tastes weird, but it also does not seamlessly melt into the pasta and become silky smooth like fresh grated parmesan does. Just make sure you use the smallest holes on your box grater for this.
Salt and Pepper: I strongly recommend you continue to season this dish with salt and pepper as you go - just a pinch or two! Meaning: Season the chicken, then season the onion, the half-and-half mixture, etc. Pasta with creamy based sauces require a good amount of salt to really make all the flavors sing!!
Ricotta: The sauce will continue thicken after you stir in the parmesan, and after you add in the ricotta it will become incredibly rich and creamy, so do not be alarmed if it seems a little bit thin as you are cooking it!
Customizing the recipe: I will always encourage you to make a recipe your own! Below are a few ideas to help inspire you!
Pasta: Swap out the linguine for your favorite pasta, such as fettuccine or penne pasta! (You may need to adjust the cook time)
Spicy: If you like your pasta with a lot of heat, use more crushed red pepper flakes!
Herbaceous: If you like a ton of fresh basil, increase the basil to 1/3 or 1/2 of a cup.
More flavor: For added depth of flavor, replace some of the broth with a dry white wine!
Finishing: Drizzle the finished pasta with balsamic vinegar reduction or glaze for a touch of sharp sweetness!
Recipe Serves: 4-6 people
Nutritional information is provided as a curtesy. Nutrition facts are an approximation based upon 4 servings. Exact information will depend upon the brands of ingredients and precise measurements used.