Description
This Creamy Tomato Pesto Pasta with Chicken is a delightful blend of tender rigatoni tossed in a rich tomato and pesto cream sauce, studded with juicy chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, and fresh spinach, finished with luscious burrata cheese for a decadent touch.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Protein
- 1 lb rigatoni
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 chicken breast diced
Spices and Seasonings
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic minced
Sauce and Vegetables
- 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped
- 15 oz tomato sauce
- 6 oz pesto
- 1/3 cup light cream
- 1 cup roasted red peppers chopped
- 2 cups fresh spinach
Cheese
- 2 balls burrata (4 ounces each)
Instructions
- Boil Pasta: Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook the rigatoni pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Reserve some pasta cooking water and then drain the pasta.
- Cook Chicken: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the diced chicken breast and sear for 2-3 minutes until it starts to brown.
- Season Chicken: Add Italian seasoning, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper to the chicken. Toss the chicken to coat evenly and sear for another 2 minutes.
- Sauté Garlic and Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Stir in the minced garlic and chopped sun-dried tomatoes and sauté for 2 minutes to release their flavors.
- Add Sauce Ingredients: Pour in the tomato sauce, pesto, and light cream. Stir to combine everything thoroughly and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
- Add Vegetables: Add the chopped roasted red peppers and fresh spinach to the sauce. Stir to combine and cook until the spinach is wilted and tender.
- Toss Pasta: Add the drained pasta to the pan and toss it with the sauce until the rigatoni is evenly coated.
- Serve: Plate the pasta and top each serving with half a ball of burrata cheese to add a creamy final touch.
Notes
- Reserve some pasta water to adjust sauce consistency if needed.
- Use sun-dried tomato oil instead of olive oil for extra flavor if desired.
- For a spicier dish, increase red pepper flakes slightly.
- Burrata can be substituted with fresh mozzarella if unavailable.
- Cooking chicken until just cooked through keeps it tender and juicy.
- Light cream can be replaced with half-and-half for a lighter option.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 620 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 32 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
