Description
This Creamy Tomato Pesto Pasta with Chicken is a flavorful and comforting dish that combines rigatoni pasta with a rich tomato and pesto sauce, tender seared chicken, and fresh spinach. Topped with creamy burrata cheese, it offers a delightful balance of savory, tangy, and fresh flavors. Perfect for a satisfying weeknight dinner, it comes together in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Pasta
- 1 lb rigatoni
Chicken and Seasonings
- 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)
Vegetables and Cheese
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 2 balls burrata (4 ounces each)
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook the rigatoni according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve some pasta cooking water before draining the pasta to help adjust sauce consistency if needed.
- Sear Chicken: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil or sun-dried tomato oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the diced chicken and sear for 2-3 minutes until it begins to brown.
- Season Chicken: Sprinkle Italian seasoning, oregano, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper over the chicken. Toss well and continue to sear for another 2 minutes to enhance the flavor.
- Sauté Garlic and Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Add minced garlic and chopped sun-dried tomatoes to the pan. Sauté for 2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant and the tomatoes soften.
- Add Sauces and Cream: Pour in the tomato sauce, pesto, and light cream. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
- Add Vegetables: Stir in chopped roasted red peppers and fresh spinach. Cook until the spinach has wilted, incorporating all ingredients thoroughly.
- Toss Pasta in Sauce: Add the drained pasta to the sauté pan and toss until the rigatoni is evenly coated in the creamy tomato pesto sauce. If needed, add reserved pasta water a little at a time to loosen the sauce.
- Serve and Garnish: Plate the pasta and top each serving with half a ball of burrata cheese, allowing it to melt slightly into the warm pasta for extra creaminess.
Notes
- You can substitute light cream with half-and-half or full cream for a richer sauce.
- If sun-dried tomato oil is available, it can be used instead of olive oil for added flavor.
- Reserve pasta water to adjust sauce consistency as needed.
- Burrata can be replaced with fresh mozzarella if preferred.
- To make the dish spicier, increase the amount of red pepper flakes.
- Cook chicken thoroughly to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
