Creamy Tomato Basil Chicken (Printable Page)

Penne and tender chicken coated in a rich tomato-basil cream sauce with parmesan and fresh basil.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 ounces penne pasta

→ Chicken

02 - 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
03 - ½ teaspoon salt
04 - ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
05 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Sauce

06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
07 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
08 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
09 - ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
10 - 1 can (14 ounces) crushed tomatoes
11 - ½ cup heavy cream
12 - ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
13 - ½ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
14 - Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

# Steps:

01 - Boil penne pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup pasta water.
02 - Season chicken breasts with salt and black pepper.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken 5–6 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Rest 5 minutes, then slice thinly.
04 - Reduce heat to medium. Add butter and onion to skillet; cook 3–4 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and red pepper flakes; cook 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Stir in crushed tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes.
06 - Lower heat, add heavy cream, and stir. Simmer 2–3 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.
07 - Stir in Parmesan and half the basil until cheese melts. Season with salt and pepper.
08 - Add sliced chicken and drained pasta to sauce. Toss gently, adding reserved pasta water as needed for smooth consistency.
09 - Plate immediately, garnishing with remaining basil and additional Parmesan if preferred.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you've been cooking all afternoon, but your hands-on time is barely half an hour.
  • The cream sauce clings to every piece of pasta in a way that feels indulgent without being heavy.
  • Chicken stays juicy and the basil stays bright, so it feels fresh and elegant, not just filling.
02 -
  • Don't skip draining the pasta water into a separate container—that starchy liquid is your secret weapon for creating a silky sauce that clings instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
  • If your sauce looks broken or grainy after adding cream, turn the heat down to barely a simmer and whisk gently; rushing or high heat is what causes cream to separate.
03 -
  • Reserve pasta water before draining because you can't get it back, and that starch is what transforms a sauce from nice to silky in seconds.
  • Taste the sauce right before serving and adjust seasoning then, because cream mutes flavors and you'll need more salt and pepper than seems logical at first.
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