Simple Tomato Basil Chicken Pasta Recipe with Hidden Carrots

Tomato Basil Chicken Pasta is a quick, easy family dinner. Combine tender chicken with fresh tomato basil pasta and extra cheese on top.

When we have busy weeknights, I like having a few simple meals ready. My whole family enjoys spaghetti, so I decided to make a variation so we aren’t just eating spaghetti and meatballs all the time. By mixing smashed tomatoes, basil, mozzarella cheese, and a few other seasonings, we created a delicious chicken recipe with a rich tomato sauce with easy prep in about 30 minutes. 

If you’re someone who doesn’t like very saucy pasta, this is a great option. While it isn’t a dry meal, it’s definitely not loaded with sauce like some pasta recipes. 

Another benefit of this meal is the hidden carrots. My boys devoured this and had no idea they were also eating carrots, even Tyler who doesn’t like carrots very much! We told them afterwards and they didn’t believe me until I went back and showed them these process photos. It’s a great way to get that extra nutritional value into the meal without the fight of eating vegetables. 

​Tomato basil chicken pasta is one of those meals that looks like it took a lot more effort than it does. For those looking for a meal to impress guests, this is a great option. It’s served over a bed of spaghetti noodles but you could also make it with penne pasta, angel hair pasta, or fettuccine noodles. 

As always, there are a few things you can add or change to make this easy pasta recipe your own. Justin added some red pepper flakes to his to give it a bit of a kick. You could also use canned diced tomatoes for a simpler recipe or switch the cherry tomatoes for grape tomatoes or the package with multicolor tomatoes. We used chicken breast cutlets, but you could use boneless chicken thighs, chicken breast, chicken tenderloins, or leftover cooked chicken. Just remember the different cuts of chicken will affect the cooking time. 

All of the key ingredients are simple ingredients that can be found at almost any grocery store. The hardest thing for us sometimes is the fresh mozzarella balls, so if you can’t find those get a block of fresh mozzarella and cut it into pieces. 

Tomato Basil Chicken Pasta Step by Step

Ingredients

• 8 oz spaghetti noodles
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb chicken breast cutlets, boneless, skinless
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes
• 1 cup white cooking wine
• 1/2 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and grated
• 3 oz fresh mini mozzarella cheese balls
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Preparation

Prepare the pasta according to the package.

While the pasta cooks, heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the chicken breasts and sprinkle with salt and pepper to season chicken.

Cook for about 5-10 minutes per side, until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165F.

Remove the chicken from the pan and keep warm.

Reduce to medium heat and add the fresh tomatoes, 1/4 cup of white cooking wine, 1/4 cup of basil, and carrot to the large skillet.

Cook for about 3 minutes, until the tomatoes start to break open.

Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the remaining white cooking wine.

If the tomatoes haven’t opened, use the back of a stirring spoon to pop them and release the juices.

Remove the pan from the heat and add the mozzarella cheese balls and 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese.

Divide the cooked pasta among 4 servings bowls and top with chicken, sauce, and remaining basil and parmesan cheese for garnish.

Tomato Basil Chicken Pasta Leftovers

Storage: I prefer to store the leftover chicken separately from the sauce and the noodles. This way the chicken and noodles don’t get soggy from the sauce. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. 

Reheating: The noodles tend to reheat best if you put them in a metal strainer and dip them for about 30 seconds into boiling water. This keeps them from sticking and warms them quickly. Then I reheat the sauce in a saucepan over medium high heat for a few minutes. The chicken can be heated in a skillet. Yes, it actually takes more to heat this than to make it. Unless you decide to just throw it all in the microwave together, but I try to avoid the microwave when I can. 

Recipe

Tomato Basil Chicken Pasta

Tomato Basil Chicken Pasta is a quick, easy family dinner. Combine tender chicken with fresh tomato basil pasta and extra cheese on top.

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Course:

Main Dish

Cuisine:

American

Keyword:

cherry tomatoes

|

chicken

|

mozzarella

|

pasta

|

pasta noodles

|

spaghetti

|

tomato

Dietary Needs:

Egg-Free

|

Nut-Free

Meat:

Chicken/Turkey

Servings: 4

4.88 from 8 votes

Ingredients

• 8 oz spaghetti noodles
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb chicken breast cutlets (boneless, skinless)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes
• 1 cup white cooking wine
• 1/2 cup fresh basil (thinly sliced)
• 1 medium carrot (peeled and grated)
• 3 oz fresh mini mozzarella cheese balls
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese (grated)

Recommended Equipment

• Saucepan – Medium
• Cast Iron Skillet

Instructions

• Prepare the pasta according to the package
• While the pasta cooks, heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat
• Add the chicken breasts and sprinkle with salt and pepper to season chicken
• Cook for about 5-10 minutes per side, until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165F
• Remove the chicken from the pan and keep warm
• Reduce to medium heat and add the fresh tomatoes, 1/4 cup of white cooking wine, 1/4 cup of basil, and carrot to the large skillet
• Cook for about 3 minutes, until the tomatoes start to break open
• Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the remaining white cooking wine
• If the tomatoes haven’t opened, use the back of a stirring spoon to pop them and release the juices
• Remove the pan from the heat and add the mozzarella cheese balls and 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese
• Divide the cooked pasta among 4 servings bowls and top with chicken, sauce, and remaining basil and parmesan cheese for garnish

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Nutrition Facts

Tomato Basil Chicken Pasta

Amount Per Serving (1 each)

Calories 516 Calories from Fat 135

% Daily Value*

Fat 15g23%

Saturated Fat 6g30%

Trans Fat 0.01g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 6g

Cholesterol 98mg33%

Sodium 783mg33%

Potassium 820mg23%

Carbohydrates 48g16%

Fiber 3g12%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 42g84%

Vitamin A 3347IU67%

Vitamin C 20mg24%

Calcium 296mg30%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutrition content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.

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