Description

This creamy tomato chicken pasta is a flavorful and comforting dish featuring tender chicken pieces cooked in a spicy, buttery sauce with fresh tomatoes, herbs, and a luscious blend of heavy cream and mozzarella cheese. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner, this recipe combines al dente rotini pasta with a rich, slightly spicy sauce that is sure to satisfy.

Ingredients

Scale

Pasta

8 ounces rotini pasta, uncooked

Chicken and Seasoning

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 tablespoons chili powder
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
¼ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste

Vegetables and Herbs

1 cup chopped tomatoes
6 green onions, chopped
½ cup fresh parsley, chopped

Sauce

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup heavy cream (or half and half)
½ cup low-sodium or no-sodium chicken broth
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

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Instructions

Cook Pasta: Cook rotini pasta according to package directions until al dente. Once cooked, drain the pasta well and set it aside to be added later.
Cook Chicken: In a large skillet, melt the unsalted butter over medium-high heat. Add the bite-sized chicken pieces, then season with chili powder, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Cook the chicken, stirring occasionally, until it is no longer pink and fully cooked through.
Add Vegetables and Sauce: Stir in the chopped tomatoes, green onions, and fresh parsley into the skillet. Cook this mixture together for about 2 minutes to marry the flavors. Then pour in the heavy cream and chicken broth, bringing the sauce to a boil.
Combine Pasta and Finish: Add the cooked rotini pasta into the skillet, stirring well to coat each piece thoroughly with the creamy tomato sauce. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese on top and, if desired, garnish with extra fresh parsley. Serve the dish immediately to enjoy the cheese melty and sauce creamy.

Notes

Use half and half instead of heavy cream for a lighter version of the sauce.
Adjust the chili powder and red pepper flakes to control the spice level to your taste.
Fresh herbs like basil can be added for additional flavor variation.
Use gluten-free pasta to make this dish gluten-free if needed.
Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stovetop or microwave.