Kitchen notes · a little help before you start

Creamy Tomato Chicken Pasta

Name: Creamy Tomato Chicken Pasta
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 8 ounce rotini pasta (uncooked); 3 tablespoons butter (unsalted); 1 pound chicken breast (skinless and boneless, cut into bite size pieces); 2 tablespoons chili powder; ½ teaspoon red chili flakes; ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste); ¼ teaspoon pepper (or to taste); 1 cup tomatoes (chopped); 6 each green onions (chopped); ½ cup parsley (fresh, chopped); 1 cup heavy cream (or half and half); ½ cup chicken broth (low sodium or no sodium added); 1 cup mozarella cheese (shredded); As Needed Black pepper

Chili-seasoned chicken gives this creamy tomato pasta a lively flavor. The sauce wraps around the rotini, with green onion and parsley adding freshness before the cheese goes on. Scoop it into bowls while warm and enjoy the spicy chicken against the mellow creamy sauce.

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 20 min
Total: 30 min
Original yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: 14 listed

Make it part of your week

Estimating…

Main courseAmericanChickenPrep: 15 minutes or lessTotal: 30 minutes or lessPasta

Recipe categories & planning details

Meal type: Main course
Primary protein: Chicken
Cuisine: American
Preparation & total time: Prep: 15 minutes or less · Total: 30 minutes or less
Dish type: Pasta

A few quick notes

1. Cook pasta al dente

Drain the rotini while still firm to the bite and set it aside before bringing the chicken sauce together.

2. Cook the chicken through

Season chicken in the melted butter and cook until no longer pink before adding tomato, green onion and parsley.

3. Warm the cream mixture first

Bring the cream and chicken broth to a boil in the skillet before stirring the cooked rotini through the sauce.

Get to know the ingredients

Bite-size chicken

Cut the boneless, skinless breast into bite-size pieces before cooking, so those pieces can mix throughout the finished pasta.

Cream or half-and-half

Both are allowed. Try half-and-half when you prefer a lighter creamy sauce around the chicken and rotini.

Chopped green onions

The green onions join tomato and parsley for a short cook after the chicken is done, before the liquids go in.

The last little job

Cheese over warm pasta

Sprinkle mozzarella over the combined chicken and rotini, add more parsley if preferred and serve the pasta while warm.

A little more help as you go

Freshly shredded cheese

For the final topping, shredding the cheese yourself is preferable to using a bag of shredded mozzarella.

Prepare sauce ahead

For advance preparation, make the sauce separately and cook the pasta fresh, combining them when ready to eat.

A few questions you might have

Can I add other vegetables?

You can add vegetables such as spinach or mushrooms to the chicken pasta. Separate cooking times aren't provided for them.

How can I loosen leftover pasta?

Try a splash of broth or cream when reheating, since the cooked pasta continues soaking up sauce as it sits.

When does the chili powder go in?

Sprinkle it over the chicken with red chili flakes, salt and pepper as the chicken begins cooking in butter.

Does the mozzarella simmer in the sauce?

It is sprinkled over the pasta after the cooked rotini is stirred into the sauce, just before serving warm.

What broth is listed?

Use low-sodium or no-sodium-added chicken broth, adding it with the cream before bringing the sauce mixture to a boil.

Any more cooking tips?

Want it lighter? Use half-and-half instead of heavy cream. Add-ins welcome: Toss in spinach, mushrooms, or whatever veg is hanging out in the fridge. Shred your own cheese: Always. Trust me. Leftovers soak up sauce : Just add a splash of broth or cream when reheating to bring it back to life. Make it ahead? Make just the sauce, then cook the pasta fresh and combine when you’re ready to eat.

Storage & reheating safety

For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.

These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures

Recipe source: jocooks.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.

Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.

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