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Home » Recipes » Dinner

Creamy Tomato Pasta Sauce with Chicken and Spinach

Modified: Jan 5, 2024 · Published Oct 9, 2023 · by Jacqueline Piper · Leave a Comment · This post may contain affiliate links. Read our privacy policy.

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Pasta and chicken on a plate and in a pan covered in creamy tomato sauce and fresh basil with text for Pinterest.
Pasta and chicken in a pan covered in creamy tomato sauce and fresh basil with text for Pinterest.
Pasta and chicken on a plate and in a pan covered in creamy tomato sauce and fresh basil with text for Pinterest.

This creamy tomato pasta sauce is the perfect sauce to bring together seasoned, tender chicken breast, fresh spinach, and perfectly cooked linguine pasta. This creamy, rich, and comforting pasta dish takes just 30 minutes. Serve with fluffy focaccia bread and this dish will become a new family favorite.

Pasta and chicken in a pan covered in creamy tomato sauce and fresh basil.
Jump to:
  • Ingredients
  • Substitutions
  • Instructions
  • Tips for making Pasta and Chicken Skillet
  • What to serve with Chicken and Pasta
  • Storage
  • FAQs
  • Recipe

If you're in need of family dinner ideas, this creamy chicken tomato pasta should move to the top of your list.

This delicious pasta recipe features flavorful chicken, a creamy tomato sauce, and everyone's favorite – swirly long pasta.

Serve this simple pasta and chicken recipe with cheese toast or garlic bread for the ultimate in comfort food.

Pasta and chicken on a plate covered in creamy tomato sauce and fresh basil.

Ingredients

See the recipe card for exact amounts.

Ingredients for chicken and creamy tomato pasta sauce on a white marble counter.
  • pasta: I use linguine for this recipe because it's one of my favorite long noodle shapes. Use your favorite pasta!
  • chicken: I use one chicken breast per two people served for this recipe. You can use one per person if you prefer.
  • Italian seasoning: I use my own recipe, try mine or use your favorite.
  • onion and garlic: fresh onions and garlic give the sauce a savory base flavor.
  • crushed tomatoes: I love the thick texture of canned crushed tomatoes. You can use tomato sauce or tomato passata instead.
  • heavy cream: this gives the sauce its rich and creamy taste and texture.
  • spinach: a few cups of spinach adds some green to this recipe. You can omit it or add more if you prefer.

Substitutions

  • pasta: you can use any short or long pasta for this recipe. Choose a noodle shape with some texture or width to it, like linguine, that the sauce can stick to. Fettucine would be good. For short shapes, rotini or shells would be great at holding onto the sauce as well.
  • chicken: Instead of boneless skinless chicken breast, you can try chicken thighs.
  • seasoning: try a different seasoning mix instead of Italian seasoning. Greek seasoning or Herbes de Provence would be good.
  • heavy cream: try coconut milk instead, it works really well in tomato sauces and I use it often, like in my Instant Pot Chickpea Curry.
  • spinach: try chopped kale instead.
Pasta and chicken on a plate covered in creamy tomato sauce and fresh basil.

Instructions

Prep Tips

  • Chop the onion and mince the garlic cloves.
A knife is used to slice a chicken breast in half lengthwise.
  1. Start by cutting each chicken breast in half the long way so that you end up with two thin cutlets.
Chicken breast is covered in seasoned flour.
  1. Mix the flour with the spice mix. Season with kosher salt and ground black pepper. Coat each chicken cutlet in the flour mix.
Flour coated chicken cutlets are fried in a pan.
  1. Heat a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add a tablespoon of oil and add the chicken cutlets.
Flour coated chicken cutlets are fried in a pan.
  1. Cook the chicken for about 5-6 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).

Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta to al dente in a large pot of salted water. Before draining the pasta, save 1 cup of the cooking water.

Onions and herbs are cooked in a pan.
  1. With the skillet still over medium heat add more oil and sauté the onions for 5-6 minutes until they soften and brown. Add the minced garlic and Italian seasoning and cook for a minute.
Tomato sauce is stirred into a pan with fried onions.
  1. Add water and crushed tomatoes, stir well, and cook until heated through.
Cream is added to a pan with tomato sauce.
  1. Stir in the heavy cream.
Spinach is stirred into a tomato sauce.
  1. Add the spinach and stir.
Pasta and spinach are added to a pan with tomato sauce.
  1. ​Add the cooked pasta to the tomato sauce and stir to coat it.
Water is added to a pan with tomato sauce and linguine.
  1. Add some of the reserved pasta water and stir to warm it through.
  2. Tuck the chicken in the pan and coat it in the red sauce.

To serve this chicken and pasta, plate a piece of chicken, followed by some pasta. Ladle any extra sauce over top. You can garnish with some grated Parmesan cheese and some fresh herbs like basil or parsley.

Pasta and chicken on a plate covered in creamy tomato sauce and fresh basil.

Tips for making Pasta and Chicken Skillet

  • Salted water: Make sure to season your pasta water with salt when you boil it. It's important to season while you cook and having seasoned pasta will make your whole dish taste better.
  • Al dente: Cooking the pasta to al dente is best for this recipe because it will keep cooking in it's own residual heat and the heat of tomato sauce.
  • Chicken: Don't overcook the chicken, cook it until it's just done so it doesn't dry out. *The Government of Canada says chicken pieces are cooked when the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
  • Pasta water: Adding the starchy pasta cooking water at the end helps thin the sauce out a little while keeping it creamy and silky in texture.

What to serve with Chicken and Pasta

For a weeknight dinner, this dish is great served with garlic bread, focaccia bread, or pull apart cheese bread.

For vegetables on the side try adding Honey Sriracha Brussels Sprouts, Roasted Broccoli and Carrots, or Roasted Green Beans.

Storage

Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container. To reheat, either microwave or use a skillet on the stovetop. If the noodles have soaked up most of the sauce and the pasta is dry, add some water, milk, or cream while you reheat the noodles.

Pasta and chicken on a plate covered in creamy tomato sauce and fresh basil.

FAQs

Can I make this chicken and pasta sauce spicy?

Yes, to make this sauce spicy add some red pepper flakes with the sauteing onions.

Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breast?

Yes, chicken thighs have a higher fat content and are a flavorful alternative to chicken breast in recipes.

Recipe

Pasta and chicken on a plate covered in creamy tomato sauce and fresh basil.
5 from 1 vote

Creamy Tomato Pasta

Author : Jacqueline Piper
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes minutes
Servings: 4
This 30-minute dinner with simple ingredients is super comforting and hearty with browned chicken, linguine, spinach, and a creamy tomato sauce.
RATE PRINT PIN SAVE Saved!

Ingredients
 
 

  • ½ lb pasta linguine

For the chicken

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 chicken breasts cut in half into cutlets
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • salt and pepper to taste

For the sauce

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 onion diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 14 oz crushed tomatoes
  • 1 cup water
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 2 cups spinach

Instructions

  • In a large flat bowl, mix together the flour, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper, to taste.
  • Coat the chicken in the seasoned flour.
  • Heat oil in a large skillet, over medium to medium-high heat. Fry the chicken for 5-6 minutes per side. Remove to a clean plate.
  • Boil the pasta to al dente. Reserve 1 cup of cooking water and drain pasta.
  • Add the onion to the chicken pan. Cook for 5-6 minutes, until softening.
  • Add Italian seasoning and garlic, and cook for about a minute, until fragrant.
  • Add the crushed tomatoes and water. Bring to a boil then turn down and let simmer until the pasta is done.
  • Add the cream to the tomato sauce and stir. Add the pasta to the sauce and stir. Add pasta water as needed. Settle the chicken into the tomato sauce to coat it and then serve.

Video

Notes

  • salted water: make sure to season your pasta with salt when you boil pasta. It's important to season while you cook and having seasoning pasta will make your whole dish taste better.
  • al dente: cooking the pasta to al dente is best for this recipe because it will keep cooking in its own residual heat and the heat of tomato sauce.
  • chicken: don't overcook the chicken, cook it until it's just done so it doesn't dry out. *The Government of Canada says chicken pieces are cooked when the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). I serve half a chicken bread per person with this recipe, feel free to add more.
  • pasta water: adding the starchy pasta cooking water at the end helps thin the sauce out a little while keeping it creamy and silky in texture.
Storage
Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container. To reheat, either microwave or use a skillet on the stovetop. If the noodles have soaked up most of the sauce and the pasta is dry, add some water, milk, or cream while you reheat the noodles.

Nutrition

Calories: 580kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 23g | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 8g | Calcium: 143mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutritional information is an estimate. Values vary based on products used. Read our full Nutrition Disclaimer.

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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you.

Pasta and chicken in a pan covered in creamy tomato sauce and fresh basil with text for Pinterest.

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