Spicy Tomato Chicken Pasta (Print View)

Tender penne in zesty chili tomato sauce with juicy seared chicken strips. A hearty, flavorful Italian-American main dish ready in 40 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz penne pasta
02 - Salt for boiling water

→ Chicken

03 - 2 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 12 oz)
04 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
07 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

→ Chili Tomato Sauce

08 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
09 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
10 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
11 - 1 red chili pepper, finely chopped, or 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
12 - 1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
13 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
14 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
15 - 1 teaspoon sugar
16 - Salt and pepper to taste
17 - 1/4 cup reserved pasta water

→ Garnish

18 - 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
19 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, optional

# How To Make It:

01 - Cook penne in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup pasta cooking water before draining. Set aside.
02 - Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Rest for 2 minutes, then slice into strips.
03 - Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté for 3 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and chili, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, dried oregano, sugar, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
05 - Pour in reserved pasta water to reach desired sauce consistency. Adjust seasoning as needed.
06 - Add cooked penne to the sauce and toss until well coated. Fold in chicken strips or arrange on top.
07 - Serve hot, garnished with fresh basil and Parmesan cheese if desired.

# Expert Insights:

01 -
  • It tastes like restaurant quality but uses ingredients you probably already have sitting around.
  • The chili gives just enough heat to wake up your taste buds without making you reach for milk.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully and somehow taste even better the next day.
  • You can have dinner on the table in under an hour even on your busiest nights.
02 -
  • Do not skip reserving the pasta water, it is the secret to making the sauce silky and cohesive instead of dry and clumpy.
  • Let the chicken rest after cooking or all the juices will run out onto your cutting board instead of staying inside where they belong.
  • If your garlic burns even a little bit, it will taste bitter and ruin the whole sauce, so watch it closely once it hits the pan.
03 -
  • Salt your pasta water properly and it will season the noodles from the inside out, which makes a bigger difference than you would think.
  • Sear the chicken in a hot pan without moving it around too much so you get that golden crust that adds texture and flavor.
  • Taste the sauce before you toss the pasta in and adjust the seasoning then, because it is much easier to fix at that stage than after everything is mixed together.
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