Description
This Creamy Tomato Pesto Pasta with Chicken is a delightful Italian-inspired dish featuring al dente rigatoni tossed in a rich, creamy tomato pesto sauce with tender seared chicken, roasted red peppers, fresh spinach, and topped with creamy burrata cheese for an indulgent finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Protein
- 1 lb rigatoni
- 1 chicken breast diced
Seasonings and Oils
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped
- 1 cup roasted red peppers chopped
- 2 cups fresh spinach
Sauces and Dairy
- 15 oz tomato sauce
- 6 oz pesto
- 1/3 cup light cream
- 2 balls burrata 4 ounces each
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook the rigatoni according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water and then drain the pasta.
- Sear the Chicken: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the diced chicken breast and sear for 2 to 3 minutes until starting to brown.
- Season the Chicken: Sprinkle Italian seasoning, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper over the chicken. Toss well and continue to sear for an additional 2 minutes to develop flavor.
- Sauté Garlic and Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Add the minced garlic and chopped sun-dried tomatoes to the pan and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add Sauces and Cream: Pour in the tomato sauce, pesto, and light cream. Stir thoroughly to combine and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
- Add Vegetables: Stir in the chopped roasted red peppers and fresh spinach. Cook until the spinach has wilted and the vegetables are well incorporated into the sauce.
- Toss Pasta in Sauce: Add the drained rigatoni to the pan. Toss well to ensure the pasta is evenly coated with the creamy tomato pesto sauce. Add reserved pasta water as needed for desired consistency.
- Plate and Serve: Divide the pasta among plates and top each serving with half a ball of burrata cheese for a creamy, luxurious finish.
Notes
- Reserve some pasta water to adjust the sauce consistency if it becomes too thick.
- Substitute chicken breast with thigh meat for a juicier option.
- Use sun-dried tomato oil instead of olive oil for a more intense tomato flavor.
- For a vegetarian version, omit the chicken and add extra vegetables like mushrooms or zucchini.
- Serve immediately to enjoy the creamy burrata at its best.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
