This chicken tomato pasta is an easy weeknight dinner made with seasoned chicken, linguine, and a quick tomato sauce. It is a simple, budget-friendly meal that is filling, flavorful, and perfect for busy nights.
Ingredients
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- Chicken - Boneless, skinless chicken breast works well for this recipe. Cut it in half lengthwise to make thinner pieces so it cooks quickly and evenly.
- Seasoning - Salt, dried oregano, garlic powder, dried rosemary, dried thyme, black pepper, and a pinch of crushed red pepper season the chicken and sauce. The crushed red pepper is optional if you want a little heat.
- Oil - Olive oil is used to cook the chicken and sauté the onion and garlic.
- Produce - Onion and garlic add flavor to the sauce. Chopped parsley is great for garnish if desired.
- Tomatoes - Crushed tomatoes make a simple, flavorful sauce. We used fire-roasted tomatoes, but regular crushed tomatoes work too.
- Pasta - Linguine works well, but you can use your favorite pasta.
- For serving - Parmesan cheese is delicious for serving, if desired.
📖 See the recipe card for quantities and preparation.
How to make chicken tomato pasta
Cut the chicken breast in half lengthwise to make thinner pieces so it cooks quickly and evenly.
In a small bowl, combine the salt, dried oregano, garlic powder, rosemary, dried thyme, black pepper, and crushed red pepper, if using.
Season the chicken on both sides with about half of the seasoning mix. Reserve the rest for the sauce.
Start a large pot of water early so it is ready when it is time to cook the pasta. Cover the pot to help it come to a boil faster.
Cook the chicken
Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat.
When the oil is hot, add the chicken and cook for about 5 minutes per side, or until cooked through. The cooking time will vary depending on the thickness. The chicken is done when the juices run clear and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Take the skillet off the heat and remove the chicken. Place it on a plate and cover loosely with foil to keep warm.
Make the tomato sauce
Do not wash or wipe the skillet.
Place it back over medium heat, add the onions, and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
Add the tomatoes and reserved seasoning mix. Stir well, scraping any bits off the bottom of the skillet. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer and lower the heat if needed.
Finish the dish
When the sauce has about 10-15 minutes left, bring the pasta water to a full boil and add a generous amount of salt. Cook the pasta to package directions for al dente, then reserve about 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
Slice the chicken into thin strips or cubes. Taste the sauce and add more salt and black pepper if needed. Add the pasta to the sauce with 2-3 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water and toss to coat, adding more if needed. Add the chicken and parsley and toss until combined.
Serve with parmesan cheese and extra crushed red pepper, if desired.
Storing and reheating instructions
Let the chicken tomato pasta cool slightly, then store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
To freeze, place the pasta in a freezer-safe container and refrigerate until chilled. Then transfer it to the freezer and use within 2-3 months for the best quality. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Reheat leftovers in the microwave until hot all the way through, or warm them in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water or chicken broth to loosen the sauce. If needed, stir occasionally until heated through. Leftovers should be reheated to 165°F before serving.
Food safety: According to USDA recommendations, do not leave cooked food out for longer than two hours, or for more than one hour if the temperature is above 90°F. For more information on food storage and safety guidelines visit U.S. Department of Agriculture and foodsafety.gov.
If you liked this recipe, try our garlic shrimp pasta for another easy dinner with plenty of flavor, or chicken and egg noodles when you want a simple family-friendly meal. Ravioli bake is also a great option if you need a comforting pasta dinner for a busy night.
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📖 Recipe
Chicken Tomato Pasta
Ingredients
- 1- 1½ pound Chicken Breast boneless, skinless, cut in half to make two thinner pieces
- 2 teaspoons Salt
- 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Dried Rosemary
- ½ teaspoon Dried Thyme
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- Pinch Crushed Red Pepper optional
- 3 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 Small Onion diced
- 5-6 Garlic Cloves minced
- 1 28 ounce can Crushed Tomatoes, or 2 (14.5 ounce) cans
- 12 ounces Linguine cooked to package directions for al dente
- Salt for the Pasta Water
- 1-2 tablespoons Chopped Parsley for garnish
- Parmesan Cheese for serving if desired
Instructions
- Cut the chicken in half lengthwise, to make two smaller pieces.
- Add the salt, dried oregano, garlic powder, rosemary, dried thyme, black pepper and the crushed red pepper (if using). Stir the spices together to combine.
- Season the chicken on both sides with about half of the seasoning mix. Reserve the remaining mix for the sauce.
Cook the chicken breast
- Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat.
- Add the chicken to the skillet. Cook the chicken for 5 minutes. Turn and cook for another 5 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and at least 165°F at its thickest part.
- Take the skillet off the heat. Remove the chicken from the skillet and place on a plate or pan and keep warm.
Make the tomato sauce
- Do not wash or wipe the skillet.
- Place the skillet back over medium heat, add the onions and cook 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Add the tomatoes and the reserved seasoning mix. Stir the sauce well, while gently scrapping any bits off the bottom of the skillet. Slowly bring the sauce to a simmer, lower the heat to medium-low and cover.
- Cook the tomato sauce for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Keep the sauce at a simmer, if it's boiling too vigorously, lower the heat a bit.
Cook the pasta
- When there's about 10-15 left on the sauce, crank the heat on the boiling water. Remember to add a generous amount of salt to the pasta water. Cook to package directions for al dente. Before draining the pasta, reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water.
- Set the cooked pasta aside and slice the chicken breasts into thin slices or cubes.
- Taste the tomato sauce, add extra salt and black pepper to taste, if needed. As a reference we did not add extra salt to our tomato sauce.
- Add the linguine to the tomato sauce along with about a 2-3 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water, toss well to coat. Add the sliced chicken and chopped parsley and toss until combined.
- Serve the chicken tomato pasta with parmesan cheese and extra crushed red pepper, if desired.
Notes
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Nutrition
The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate. This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.
Deborah
I've been making this for years and my husband and I love it - it's one of our regulars in our rotation.