Quick Basil Chicken Pasta for Two

Basil Chicken Pasta is one of my favorite quick and easy meals. Just simmer basil, chicken, and tomatoes together, serve over the pasta of your choice, sprinkle with Parmesan, and enjoy!

It’s Monday, funday! How was your weekend? Is it starting to cool down in your part of the world? Here in SoCal, we had a bit of a reprieve from the heat last week, but it’s back up in the 90’s this week. I just want it to be sweater weather already!!

This month on the blog, we are making super simple dinners that are healthy, easy, and quick. Last week we made Teriyaki Chicken With Homemade Teriyaki sauce, a dinner that comes together in all of 15 minutes. Today I’m sharing a recipe that takes a few minutes longer, but is just as simple, Basil Chicken Pasta.

Do you have days where you just do. not. want. to. cook. anything? I have those days all the time, and rather than dig out a take out menu, this is the dish I turn to. Basil Chicken Pasta is low-maintenance food at its best.

To make this dish, you just cube a chicken breast, roughly (sometimes angrily–I don’t know what your day was like) chop some onion and garlic, open a can of tomatoes, add some basil, and simmer away.

You can make your basil chicken pasta with fresh basil or dried, whatever you have on hand. I am a horrible murderer of windowsill herbs, so usually I use dried, but my most recent victim kitchen basil plant is somehow still kicking, so I used fresh basil in the photos.

In about 20 minutes, you wind up with a dish that is light and simple but completely satisfying. I love the flavor the basil gives to the chicken and tomatoes, and since you are serving this over pasta–I usually choose angel hair, but use whatever you want– it’s basically law that you sprinkle it with plenty of Parmesan just before serving.

Plate it up with a side of Butter and Garlic Green Beans or the side of your choice, and your dinner’s going to be a good one!

This recipe serves two, but doubles (or triples–go nuts!) with no major changes to cooking time or method. See recipe notes for details.

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Basil Chicken Pasta

Basil Chicken Pasta is one of my favorite quick and easy meals. Just simmer basil, chicken, and tomatoes together, serve over the pasta of your choice, sprinkle with Parmesan, and enjoy!

Course Dinner

Cook Time 20 minutes

Servings 2

Calories 453 kcal

Author Tracy

Ingredients

Basil Chicken Pasta

• 4 ounces angel hair pasta or pasta of choice*
• 1 small (about 8oz) boneless chicken breast cubed 1 inch
• 1/4 cup diced onion about 1/4 medium onion
• 2 cloves garlic pressed or diced
• 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil or 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce

For Topping

• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• Fresh basil optional, thinly sliced

Instructions

1. Put a pot of lightly salted water on to boil for your pasta.
2. Spray a medium skillet, with cooking spray, or drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Brown cubed chicken over medium heat, 3 to 5 minutes. Lightly salt and pepper the chicken while it is cooking.
3. Add onions and garlic, and cook until chicken is cooked through and onions begin to turn translucent at the edges, another 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Stir in canned tomatoes (and their juices), basil, and salt. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until thick and saucy, about 6 minutes.
5. Start your pasta, and cook according to package instructions until al dente.* Drain and divide into two bowls.
6. Stir hot sauce into the tomatoes and check the salt level. Add more if needed. Divide the sauce between your two bowls. Top with Parmesan and optional fresh basil.
7. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

*If using pasta other than angel hair, you will need to start your pasta earlier in the cooking process if you want everything to finish at the same time. (Or the sauce can sit covered while your pasta finishes cooking. It won't hurt anything.)

Doubling Instructions: If doubling, you may need to add up to 1 to 3 minutes to all cooking times (except pasta) since your pan will be more crowded and food will cook more slowly.

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