Description

This Creamy Tomato Pesto Pasta with Chicken is a vibrant and satisfying dish combining tender rigatoni pasta, flavorful sautéed chicken, and a rich, creamy tomato-pesto sauce. Enhanced with sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, fresh spinach, and topped with luscious burrata cheese, this recipe delivers a perfect balance of textures and flavors for a comforting and elegant meal.

Ingredients

Scale

Pasta and Chicken

1 lb rigatoni
2 tbsp olive oil
1 chicken breast diced
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Sauce

1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
15 oz tomato sauce
6 oz pesto
1/3 cup light cream
1 cup roasted red peppers chopped
2 cups fresh spinach

Garnish

2 balls burrata (4 ounces each)

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Instructions

Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add rigatoni and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve some pasta cooking water before draining the pasta.
Sear Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add diced chicken breast and sear for 2-3 minutes until lightly browned.
Add Seasonings: Sprinkle Italian seasoning, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper over chicken. Toss and continue to sear for another 2 minutes to develop flavor.
Sauté Aromatics: Add minced garlic and chopped sun-dried tomatoes to the pan and sauté for 2 minutes to release their flavors.
Make Sauce: Pour in tomato sauce, pesto, and light cream. Stir to combine thoroughly and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
Add Vegetables: Stir in chopped roasted red peppers and fresh spinach. Cook until spinach has wilted and the sauce is well combined.
Toss Pasta: Add the drained rigatoni to the sauce. Toss well until all the pasta is evenly coated. Use reserved pasta water as needed to adjust sauce consistency.
Plate and Garnish: Serve the pasta on plates and top each serving with half a ball of burrata cheese for a creamy finish.

Notes

Reserve pasta cooking water to thin the sauce if it becomes too thick during tossing.
You can substitute rigatoni with penne or rigatoni for similar texture and sauce holding capacity.
For a spicier kick, increase red pepper flakes slightly.
Use light cream to keep the dish creamy but lower in fat.
Burrata adds a rich, creamy texture; if unavailable, fresh mozzarella can be used as a substitute.
Leftover pasta can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days and gently reheated on stovetop with a splash of cream or water.

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: 58 g
Fiber: 5 g
Protein: 36 g
Cholesterol: 75 mg