Creamy Tomato Chicken Pasta with Fresh Basil
Ingredients
- 1½ poundschicken breast
- 1 poundpasta (penne, rigatoni, or your favorite shape)
- 1 cupwhole milk
- 3 tablespoontomato paste
- 4 clovesgarlic
- 1 mediumyellow onion
- 1 cupchicken broth
- 3 tablespoonolive oil
- ·salt
- ·black pepper
- ¼ cupfresh basil (loosely packed)
- ½ cupparmesan cheese (grated)
Prep
- 01
Mince 4 cloves garlic.
- 02
Dice 1 medium yellow onion.
- 03
Roughly chop 1/4 cup fresh basil.
Method
- 01
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain and set aside.
- 02
While pasta cooks, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper on both sides. Cook 5–6 minutes per side until golden brown. Transfer to a plate.
- 03
In the same skillet, sauté onion until soft, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- 04
Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Pour in chicken broth and milk, stirring to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- 05
Return chicken to the skillet and simmer 8–10 minutes until cooked through (internal temperature 165°F). Remove from heat and shred or slice the chicken into bite-sized pieces, keeping it in the sauce.
- 06
Add cooked pasta to the skillet and toss gently to coat. If the sauce feels too thick, add reserved pasta water a splash at a time until creamy. Stir in parmesan and basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- 07
Serve hot, with extra basil and parmesan on the side if desired.
Spice Tips
For warmth, add a pinch of red pepper flakes when sautéing the garlic. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice brightens the cream sauce at the end. If you like deeper flavor, swap half the milk for heavy cream or add 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning to the sauce.
This recipe comes together in about 40 minutes. Substitute heavy cream for milk if you prefer a richer sauce. Leftovers keep well in the fridge for 2 days; reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of broth.