Description
This Tomato Spinach Chicken Pasta is a cozy, creamy weeknight hero that tastes like your favorite Italian-inspired café meal in a single skillet. Tender grilled chicken, al dente pasta, and a velvety tomato-cream sauce get bright pops of spinach and basil. It’s comforting, colorful, and ready in about 25 minutes perfect for when you want something fast, fresh, and satisfying.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 oz (225 g) pasta (penne or fusilli)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 chicken breasts, grilled and sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (14 oz / 400 g) diced tomatoes, with juices
- 1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Fresh basil, for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, grill or pan-sear the chicken breasts if not already cooked, then slice them into strips or bite-size pieces.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 1–2 minutes, until fragrant but not browned.
- Pour in the diced tomatoes with their juices. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for about 5 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the sauce to reduce slightly.
- Stir in the chopped spinach and cook for 2–3 minutes, until wilted and vibrant green.
- Reduce the heat to low. Add the heavy cream and grated Parmesan cheese, stirring until the cheese melts and the sauce becomes smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the cooked pasta and sliced grilled chicken to the skillet. Toss well to coat everything evenly in the creamy tomato spinach sauce.
- Cook for 1–2 more minutes on low heat, just until everything is heated through.
- Serve hot, garnished with fresh basil and extra Parmesan if desired.
Notes
- Use any short pasta shape you like penne, fusilli, rotini, or farfalle all work beautifully.
- If your sauce gets too thick after adding the pasta, loosen it with a splash of pasta cooking water or chicken broth.
- Taste and adjust salt at the end; Parmesan and canned tomatoes both contain salt, so season gradually.
- For extra flavor, season the chicken with Italian seasoning, paprika, or garlic powder before grilling.
- This pasta reheats well; add a little cream, broth, or water when reheating to bring the sauce back to life.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American, Italian-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: ≈450 kcal
- Sugar: ≈6 g
- Sodium: ≈520 mg
- Fat: ≈20 g
- Saturated Fat: ≈9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: ≈10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: ≈45 g
- Fiber: ≈4 g
- Protein: ≈26 g
- Cholesterol: ≈85 mg
Keywords: tomato spinach chicken pasta, creamy chicken pasta, skillet pasta, weeknight dinner, easy pasta recipe, creamy tomato spinach pasta