Description
This creamy tomato pesto pasta with chicken is a delicious and comforting dish that combines tender rigatoni pasta with a savory sauce made from tomato sauce, pesto, light cream, and roasted red peppers. Served with juicy seared chicken and topped with fresh burrata cheese and spinach, it’s a perfect meal for a cozy dinner or special occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Protein
- 1 lb rigatoni
- 1 chicken breast diced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Seasonings and Spices
- 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 Ingredients
- 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. Add rigatoni and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve some pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
- Sear Chicken: In a large sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add diced chicken breast and sear for 2 to 3 minutes until the outside is golden.
- Add Seasonings: Sprinkle Italian seasoning, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper over the chicken. Toss to coat and sear for another 2 minutes to infuse flavors.
- Sauté Garlic and Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Add minced garlic and chopped sun-dried tomatoes to the pan. Cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Make Sauce: Pour in the tomato sauce, pesto, and light cream. Stir well to combine all ingredients and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
- Add Vegetables: Stir in roasted red peppers and fresh spinach. Cook until the spinach wilts, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Toss Pasta in Sauce: Add the cooked rigatoni to the sauce. Toss gently until the pasta is evenly coated. Use reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce.
- Serve and Garnish: Plate the pasta and top each serving with half a ball of burrata cheese for a creamy finish.
Notes
- Reserve some pasta water to adjust sauce consistency as needed.
- You can substitute chicken breast with grilled tofu for a vegetarian option.
- Use sun-dried tomato oil instead of olive oil for deeper flavor.
- To make it spicier, increase red pepper flakes slightly.
- If burrata is unavailable, fresh mozzarella can be used as a substitute.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
