This tomato chicken pasta recipe saved me during that crazy month with a newborn and a preschooler. Juicy chicken, tangy tomato sauce, pasta that actually tastes good. One pan, 30 minutes. I've made this tomato chicken pasta at least 50 times this year because my kids eat it without complaining and my husband actually requests it.
Why You'll Love This Tomato Chicken Pasta Recipe
I'm not going to pretend this is some fancy Italian masterpiece. It's weeknight survival food that happens to taste really good.
Here's the deal: You sear chicken until it's golden, make a quick tomato sauce with garlic and herbs in the same pan, cook your pasta, toss it all together. That's it. The result is this satisfying chicken pasta with tomato sauce that my picky four-year-old will actually eat. My mom, who's extremely judgmental about Italian food, had seconds. My neighbor who "doesn't really like pasta" asked for the recipe. That's when I realized this creamy tomato chicken pasta was more than just emergency dinner.
Where people screw it up: Overcooking the chicken so it's dry and stringy. Using jarred sauce and wondering why it tastes like sad chemicals. Boiling the pasta separately in another pot like we're running a restaurant kitchen. Forgetting to season anything properly so you end up with bland tomato chicken pasta that tastes like cafeteria food. This Italian chicken pasta skips all those mistakes.
My aha moment: First few times I made tomato chicken pasta, I used boneless skinless chicken breasts because that's what everyone says to use. Every single time, the chicken came out dry and boring even when I didn't overcook it. Then one night I only had chicken thighs in the freezer. Used those instead. Game changer. The thighs stayed juicy and added actual flavor to the sauce. Suddenly this went from "fine, I guess" to "wait, this is actually delicious" tomato basil chicken pasta.
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What You'll Need for Tomato Chicken Pasta Recipe
Regular grocery store stuff. Nothing weird or expensive.
Main Ingredients
- Chicken thighs
- Pasta
- Canned crushed tomatoes
- Garlic
- Onion
- Olive oil
- Chicken broth
- Italian seasoning
- Parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil
- Salt and pepper
Optional Additions
- Heavy cream
- Sun-dried tomatoes
- Red pepper flakes
- Spinach
- Mozzarella cheese
- Fresh parsley
- White wine
Check the Recipe Card for measurements.
How to Make Tomato Chicken Pasta Recipe
This quick chicken pasta comes together faster than ordering delivery.
Cook the Chicken
- Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces
- Season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat
- Add chicken and cook until golden brown on all sides
- Don't move it around too much or it won't brown properly
- Remove chicken to a plate when done
- It doesn't need to be cooked through yet
- This step gives your chicken pasta with tomato sauce actual flavor
Make the Sauce
- In the same skillet, add a bit more olive oil if needed
- Toss in diced onion and cook until soft
- Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until it smells amazing
- Don't burn the garlic or your whole tomato chicken pasta will taste bitter
- Pour in canned crushed tomatoes
- Add chicken broth to thin it out
- Season with Italian herbs, salt, pepper
- Let it simmer for a few minutes
- Taste it and adjust the seasoning
- This is your base for creamy tomato chicken pasta
Cook the Pasta
- Add uncooked pasta directly to the sauce
- Pour in enough liquid to cover the pasta
- Use chicken broth or water, whatever you have
- Stir everything together
- Cover and let it simmer until pasta is tender
- Stir occasionally so nothing sticks
- The pasta cooks in the sauce and absorbs all the flavor
- This is what makes one-pan tomato chicken pasta work
Combine Everything
- Add the chicken back to the pan
- Stir everything together gently
- Let it cook for another 5 minutes so chicken finishes cooking
- If you want it creamy, stir in some heavy cream or cream cheese
- Add grated Parmesan cheese
- Throw in fresh basil at the end
- Adjust seasoning one more time
- The sauce should coat the pasta and chicken nicely
- Now you've got restaurant-style garlic tomato chicken pasta
You'll have this incredible tomato chicken pasta where the chicken is juicy, the sauce actually tastes like something, and the pasta isn't mushy or undercooked.
Top Tip
Use chicken thighs instead of breasts for tomato chicken pasta recipe. I know everyone always says use breasts because they're "healthier" or whatever. But thighs have way more flavor and stay juicy even if you slightly overcook them. Breasts dry out if you look at them wrong. I've made this Italian chicken pasta probably 60 times now, and thighs win every single time. They make the sauce richer too because of the fat content. Your chicken pasta with tomato sauce will actually taste like you know how to cook.
Also, don't skip searing the chicken first. Just dumping raw chicken into sauce gives you pale, flavorless meat. That golden-brown crust adds serious flavor to your whole tomato basil chicken pasta.
Variations
The basic tomato chicken pasta is solid, but here's how to change it up.
Creamier Version: Stir in half a cup of heavy cream or a few spoonfuls of cream cheese at the end. Turns it into creamy tomato chicken pasta that's basically grown-up comfort food.
Sun-Dried Tomato: Add chopped sun-dried tomatoes with the regular tomatoes. Gives it this sweet-tangy thing that's really good.
Spicy: Throw in red pepper flakes with the garlic. Makes your garlic tomato chicken pasta have some actual heat.
Veggie Boost: Add spinach, zucchini, or bell peppers. Toss them in when you add the chicken back. Makes you feel slightly less guilty about the carbs.
Cheesy: Top with mozzarella and stick it under the broiler for a few minutes. Turns into baked tomato chicken pasta that's basically chicken parm pasta.
Lemon: Squeeze fresh lemon juice over it before serving. Brightens up the whole dish.
Storage
Tomato chicken pasta keeps well, perfect for meal prep.
Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheats great in the microwave or on the stove with a splash of water or broth to loosen the sauce.
Freezer: This quick chicken pasta freezes okay for up to 2 months. The pasta texture gets a bit softer but it's still totally edible. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Make Ahead: You can prep the sauce ahead and cook the pasta fresh when you're ready. Keeps the pasta from getting mushy in leftovers.
What to Serve With It
This Italian chicken pasta is filling enough on its own, but sides make it feel like a real meal.
Bread: Garlic bread or crusty Italian bread for soaking up extra sauce. Non-negotiable in my house.
Salad: Simple green salad or Caesar salad cuts through the richness of the creamy tomato chicken pasta.
Vegetables: Roasted broccoli, green beans, or asparagus if you're feeling ambitious.
My Journey With This Recipe
Made my first tomato chicken pasta on a random Tuesday when I had nothing planned for dinner. Used chicken breasts because that's what I had. Overcooked them into rubber. The sauce was watery and bland. My daughter took one bite and asked for cereal instead. Not my finest moment.
Tried again a week later with chicken thighs. Seared them properly instead of just throwing them in the sauce. Added actual garlic and herbs instead of being lazy. Completely different result. The chicken stayed juicy, the sauce tasted like actual food. My son, who normally refuses anything red, ate his whole plate. My husband said it was better than the stuff from that Italian place we like. That's when this became regular rotation tomato basil chicken pasta.
Then I got smart and started cooking the pasta directly in the sauce instead of dirtying another pot. Life-changing for cleanup. Now this one-pan chicken tomato pasta happens at least twice a week.
The version with sun-dried tomatoes is my favorite. Regular version is what I make when I'm too tired to think. Creamy version is when I'm trying to impress someone or need comfort food.
FAQ
Can I use canned tomatoes for tomato chicken pasta?
Yes, canned crushed tomatoes work perfectly for tomato chicken pasta recipe. I actually prefer them over fresh because they're consistent year-round and already broken down. Fresh tomatoes can be watery and take forever to cook down. Canned gives you rich, concentrated flavor immediately. San Marzano are great if you want to get fancy, but regular store brand works fine. Just season them well because canned tomatoes need salt and herbs.
What pasta works best with tomato chicken sauce?
Short pasta shapes work best for chicken pasta with tomato sauce because they catch the sauce and chicken better. Penne, rigatoni, or fusilli are my go-to. Spaghetti works but it's harder to get chicken in every bite. For one-pan meals, I use penne because it cooks evenly and holds up well to simmering. Avoid delicate pasta like angel hair because it gets mushy. Use whatever short pasta you have. I've made this Italian chicken pasta with every shape and it always works.
Can I make tomato chicken pasta in one pan?
Absolutely, this tomato chicken pasta is designed as a one-pan meal. Cook the chicken first, remove it, make sauce in the same pan, add uncooked pasta directly with liquid, simmer until tender, then add chicken back. Everything happens in one skillet. Way less cleanup. The pasta absorbs the tomato sauce flavor as it cooks, making it taste better. Just make sure your pan is big enough. I use a 12-inch skillet and it fits perfectly.
How do I make the sauce creamy without adding cream?
You can make creamy tomato chicken pasta without actual cream by using pasta water, butter, or cream cheese. Starchy pasta water thickens and smooths the sauce naturally. Butter at the end makes it rich and silky. Cream cheese melts in and creates creaminess without being too heavy. Some people use milk. Or blend some sauce with Parmesan and stir it back in. I've made this chicken pasta with tomato sauce using all these methods and they all work.
More Recipes You'll Love
After mastering this tomato chicken pasta recipe, try my Classic New York Cheesecake Recipe for dessert that actually impresses people. My Garlic Steak Tortellini Recipe is another quick dinner winner with tender beef and creamy sauce. And my Garlic Chicken Sandwich makes the perfect easy lunch when you need something fast but satisfying.
Tomato Chicken Pasta
Equipment
- 1 Large skillet (12 inch) For cooking everything in one pan
- 1 Knife and cutting board For chopping chicken and vegetables
- 1 Wooden spoon or spatula For stirring
- 1 Measuring cups For liquid and pasta
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb chicken thighs or breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 12 oz pasta penne, rigatoni, or fusilli
- 1 medium onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese grated
- ¼ cup fresh basil chopped
- ½ cup heavy cream for creamy version
- ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- ½ cup mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Cut chicken thighs or breasts into bite-sized pieces about 1 inch. Pat dry with paper towels. Season all sides generously with Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Let sit while you prepare other ingredients.
- Heat olive oil in large 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add seasoned chicken pieces in single layer with space between each. Cook without moving for 3-4 minutes until golden brown on bottom. Flip and cook another 3 minutes until browned. Remove chicken to plate and set aside. Chicken doesn't need to be fully cooked yet.
- In same skillet over medium heat, add diced onion. Cook 3-4 minutes until soft and translucent, stirring occasionally. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Don't let garlic burn or it will taste bitter.
- Pour crushed tomatoes into skillet with onions and garlic. Add chicken broth and stir to combine. Season with Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Stir well and bring to simmer. Let sauce bubble gently for 2-3 minutes to develop flavors.
- Add uncooked pasta directly into the tomato sauce. Stir to coat pasta with sauce. If pasta isn't fully submerged, add more chicken broth or water. Bring to simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover skillet and cook 12-15 minutes, stirring every few minutes to prevent sticking.
- When pasta is almost tender, add seared chicken back to skillet along with any juices from the plate. Stir everything together gently. Cover and cook another 5 minutes until chicken is cooked through and pasta is tender. Check pasta for doneness.
- Remove from heat. Stir in grated Parmesan cheese until melted. If making creamy version, add heavy cream now and stir until combined. Add fresh chopped basil and toss everything together. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt or pepper if needed.
- Let stand 2-3 minutes to thicken slightly. Sauce should coat pasta nicely. Serve hot with extra Parmesan cheese and fresh basil on top. Add red pepper flakes if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
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Pairing
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