Creamy Chicken and Tomato Pasta (ONE Pan)

A quick and easy one-pan meal featuring tender chicken, fresh cherry tomatoes, creamy sauce, and pasta, perfect for weeknight dinners.

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Creamy Chicken and Tomato Pasta (ONE Pan) delivers dinner in 30 to 40 minutes, while keeping cleanup to a minimum. Did you know 72% of home cooks prefer one-pan meals for weeknights, according to recent meal-trend surveys. This Creamy Chicken and Tomato Pasta recipe uses pantry staples and fresh cherry tomatoes for bright flavor, and it beats generic recipes by balancing cream, tomato, and fresh basil without extra steps. In this guide, you’ll learn…

For quick inspiration, see our creamy pesto pasta variations for a basil-forward alternative.

What Is Creamy Chicken and Tomato Pasta (ONE Pan)?

This one-pan pasta is a skillet meal combining browned chicken, simmered tomatoes, cream, spinach, and parmesan, tossed with pasta for a saucy finish. It is built for simplicity, speed, and satisfying comfort-food texture.

The method keeps oil, butter, and tomato sauce in the same pan, preserving flavor while saving time. It is adaptable for dinner-for-two or a family of four, and it reheats well for lunches.

Quick Facts about Creamy Chicken and Tomato Pasta

• Servings, 4; Prep, 10 min; Cook, 25-30 min
• Estimated calories, 560 kcal per serving
• Protein, about 36 g per serving
• Key ingredients, chicken breast, cream (120 mL), cherry tomatoes (250 g), pasta (300 g)

Pros and Cons

• Pros: fast, minimal dishes, crowd-pleasing creaminess
• Cons: higher in calories, needs immediate serving for best texture

For an alternate protein, check our chicken and shrimp alfredo ideas.

Creamy Chicken and Tomato Pasta

A quick and easy one-pan meal featuring tender chicken, fresh cherry tomatoes, creamy sauce, and pasta, perfect for weeknight dinners.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Servings 4 servings

Calories 560 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Main Ingredients

• 4 pieces chicken breasts cut into 3 cm cubes
• 240 mL cream
• 250 g cherry tomatoes
• 300 g pasta choose your preferred type
• 100 g spinach can increase to 150g for a vegetarian option
• 60 g grated parmesan
• 120 mL chicken broth
• 200 g tomato sauce

Seasoning and Other

• 1 tsp salt for seasoning chicken
• 1/2 tsp black pepper for seasoning chicken
• 2 tbsp flour for coating chicken
• 15 g butter divided into two portions
• 3 cloves minced garlic

Instructions

 

Preparation

• Cook pasta according to package instructions, draining slightly undercooked.
• Slice chicken breasts into 3 cm cubes and season with salt, pepper, and flour.

Cooking

• Heat a pan and add half of the butter, then melt and sear chicken for about 7 minutes.
• Remove chicken, add remaining butter and minced garlic, sauté for 2 minutes until fragrant.
• Add cherry tomatoes and spices, cooking for 3-4 minutes until tomatoes soften.
• Pour in cream, chicken broth, and tomato sauce, bring to simmer and reduce slightly for 3-5 minutes.
• Add spinach and grated parmesan in batches, stir until wilted.
• Return chicken and add cooked pasta, stir to combine and warm through for 1-2 minutes.

Notes

Leftovers keep for 3 days in the fridge and can be frozen for up to 2 months. Use room-temperature chicken to sear evenly, and avoid overcrowding the pan.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 560kcalCarbohydrates: 60gProtein: 36gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 12gSodium: 700mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4g

Keyword Chicken Pasta, Creamy Pasta, One Pan Meal, Quick Dinner, Weeknight Meal

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Step-by-Step Instructions

Cook pasta according to package instructions, drain slightly undercooked so it finishes in the sauce. Expected result, pasta will absorb sauce flavor without becoming mushy.

1. Slice chicken breasts into 3 cm cubes and season with 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and 2 tbsp flour. Action, coat evenly. Expected result, flour helps form a light crust.
2. Heat a pan and add half of the butter, 15 g. Action, melt then sear chicken for about 7 minutes. Expected result, golden exterior and no pink inside.
3. Remove chicken, add remaining butter and 3 cloves minced garlic. Action, saute 2 minutes until fragrant. Expected result, garlic becomes aromatic, not browned.
4. Add 250 g cherry tomatoes and spices, cook 3-4 minutes until tomatoes soften. Action, stir to loosen juices. Expected result, tomatoes begin to burst and sweet juices form.
5. Pour in 240 mL cream, 120 mL chicken broth, and 200 g tomato sauce, bring to simmer. Action, reduce slightly for 3-5 minutes. Expected result, sauce thickens to coat a spoon.
6. Add 100 g spinach and 60 g grated parmesan in batches, stir until wilted. Action, fold in spinach. Expected result, wilted greens distributed through sauce.
7. Return chicken and add cooked pasta, stir to combine and warm through. Action, toss for 1-2 minutes. Expected result, pasta is evenly coated, ready to serve with basil and extra parmesan.

Chef tip

Use room-temperature chicken to sear evenly, and avoid overcrowding the pan, which causes steaming.

For a richer twist, compare techniques in our blackened chicken alfredo guide.

Variations & Substitutes

Changing one or two ingredients tailors this dish to diets or regional tastes quickly. Swap dairy, protein, or pasta format, and expect shifts in flavor and cooking time.

• Vegetarian: use cubed tofu or white beans, increase spinach to 150 g, expect slightly firmer texture.
• Lower-calorie: replace cream with 150 g Greek yogurt, reduce to 350 kcal per serving, sauce becomes tangier.
• Regional twist: add smoked paprika and chorizo slices for a Spanish note, cook 3 extra minutes.

If you prefer a herb-forward dish, try our kielbasa pasta recipes for smoky alternatives.

Mistakes to Avoid

Beginner errors can turn this into a soggy or bland meal. Here are five common mistakes and how to fix them.

Checklist to avoid problems

• Underseasoning the chicken, fix by tasting and adding salt gradually.
• Overcooking pasta, fix by draining al dente and finishing in sauce.
• Browning garlic too long, fix by cooking 1-2 minutes and watch for light golden color.
• Adding spinach too early, fix by adding in batches so it wilts without losing texture.
• Crowding the pan when searing, fix by working in batches for a proper crust.

Did you know? Quick searing locks juices, improving mouthfeel and flavor absorption.

Storage, Reuse

Leftovers keep for 3 days in the fridge in an airtight container at 4 C. Reheat gently on low with 1-2 tbsp water to rescue sauce consistency.

• Freeze for up to 2 months, thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
• Repurpose by stuffing into bell peppers or layering in a pasta bake, bake at 180 C for 20 minutes.

Related Recipes / See Also

If you love this, try our creamy white chicken chili recipes for cozy chili options. For pesto lovers, see creamy pesto pasta for a fresh herb profile.

Conclusion

This Creamy Chicken and Tomato Pasta (ONE Pan) recipe gives fast weeknight satisfaction, minimal cleanup, and flexible swaps for diet needs. For a similar one-pan creamy finish with tomato balance, see this external inspiration at Creamy Chicken and Tomato Pasta (ONE Pan) – Nourished by Nic.