This Chicken Basil Tomato Pasta is a quick and easy weeknight dinner that's made in less than 30 minutes. It's loaded with all those irresistible bruschetta flavors.
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
You are going to love all the flavors in this pasta dish! Thin spaghetti or angel hair pasta is topped with sautéed tomatoes, garlic, fresh basil, grated parmesan cheese, and a balsamic vinegar glaze to make a delicious Italian-style dinner.
This dish is inspired by the TGI Friday's Bruschetta Chicken Pasta. I used to work there right after college and would get it all the time. It was so good!
I make this pasta on repeat all year long, though it's best made in the summer with all the garden-fresh tomatoes and basil. I love anything bruschetta or caprese flavored, including these Tortellini Caprese Skewers.
If you love pasta with fresh tomatoes, try this Cherry Tomato and Chicken Sausage Pasta!
Ingredients
These ingredients are easy to find year-round, but it's best to make with fresh summer tomatoes and basil from the garden or farmer's market.
- Pasta: Use angel hair (capellini) or thin spaghetti in this dish. You can substitute for whatever shape of pasta you prefer. I like this Whole Wheat Capellini from DeLallo.
- Chicken: One pound of boneless, skinless, thin sliced chicken breast.
- Olive Oil: Use your favorite extra virgin olive oil to sauté the garlic and tomatoes.
- Garlic: Minced garlic to add delicious flavor.
- Tomatoes: A pint of ripe cherry tomatoes for their sweet and juicy flavor profile. You could substitute for grape or Roma tomatoes, however it won't be quite as flavorful.
- Basil: Sliced fresh basil is a must.
- Salt and pepper: To taste.
- Balsamic Glaze: Drizzle some balsamic glaze before serving for added sweet tanginess.
- Parmesan Cheese: Top with freshly grated parmesan cheese. (optional)
*The full ingredient list with amounts is in the recipe card below.
How to Make Chicken Basil Tomato Pasta
This pasta is a simple recipe perfect for those busy weeknights. It comes together in less than 30 minutes!
- Cook the chicken. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and place on a large baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, until cooked through. Cut into slices.
- Make the pasta. In the meantime, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve ¼ cup of pasta water before draining.
- Prepare the bruschetta topping. While pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, another 4-5 minutes until tomatoes are soft.
- Mix the pasta and tomatoes. Add the drained pasta to the tomato skillet and toss to combine. Add reserved pasta water as needed.
- Serve and enjoy. Serve the pasta topped with chicken slices, basil, a drizzle of balsamic glaze, and freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Expert Tip: To be sure the chicken cooks evenly, pound it with a meat hammer until it has an even thickness.
Variations
- Grill the chicken. Instead of baking the chicken in the oven, you could grill it. Heat the grill to medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Grill for 2-3 minutes per side, until cooked through.
- Add more veggies. Toss in some sauteed zucchini, peppers, corn, or eggplant.
- Swap out the chicken. Not a fan of chicken? You could leave it out or swap it for grilled steak, salmon, or eggplant.
Serving Suggestions
Serve Bruschetta Chicken Pasta as a light and fresh dinner. It's perfect served with some fresh crusty bread and a side salad.
Storage
To store, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Add a drizzle of olive oil when reheating it. It may dry out a little in the fridge.
More Pasta Recipes
If you liked this easy pasta recipe, then you'll love some of these other favorites.
To get even more recipes straight to your inbox, sign-up for the Fresh Apron Weekly Newsletter.
If you make this recipe, don't forget to come back and leave a 5-star rating and a comment below.
📖 Recipe
Chicken Basil Tomato Pasta
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dishes
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Chicken Basil Tomato Pasta is a quick and easy weeknight dinner that's made in less than 30 minutes. It's loaded with all those irresistible bruschetta flavors.
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless, thin sliced, chicken breast
- 8 ounces whole wheat angel hair pasta
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
- ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
- salt and pepper, to taste
- balsamic vinegar glaze, for drizzling
- freshly grated parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the chicken. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and place on a large baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, until cooked through. Cut into slices.
- Make the pasta. In the meantime, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Reserve ¼ cup of pasta water before draining.
- Prepare the bruschetta topping. While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, another 4-5 minutes until tomatoes are soft.
- Mix the pasta and tomatoes. Add the drained pasta to the tomatoes skillet and toss to combine. Add the reserved pasta water, as needed.
- Serve and enjoy. Serve the pasta topped with chicken slices, basil, a drizzle of balsamic glaze, and freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Notes
Nutritional values (per serving) are approximates only.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 391
- Sugar: 4.1 g
- Sodium: 228.2 mg
- Fat: 8.6 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 46 g
- Fiber: 6.2 g
- Protein: 34.7 g
- Cholesterol: 83.6 mg
Doug says
Simple and great.