Description
A rich and flavorful Creamy Tomato Pesto Pasta with tender chicken, vibrant sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, and fresh spinach, all topped with creamy burrata cheese. This comforting pasta dish combines Italian herbs and a luscious tomato-pesto cream sauce for an easy and satisfying meal perfect for weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Protein
- 1 lb rigatoni
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 chicken breast, diced
Seasonings and Aromatics
- 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 Ingredients
- 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
Vegetables and Cheese
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 2 balls burrata cheese, 4 ounces each
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add the rigatoni and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve some pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and set aside.
- Cook the Chicken: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the diced chicken breast and sear for 2 to 3 minutes until lightly browned.
- Add Seasonings: Sprinkle Italian seasoning, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper over the chicken. Toss to coat and continue to sear for another 2 minutes to develop flavor.
- Sauté Garlic and Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Add the minced garlic and chopped sun-dried tomatoes to the pan. Sauté for 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until the garlic is fragrant.
- Create the Sauce: Pour in the tomato sauce, pesto, and light cream. Stir everything to combine and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat.
- Add Vegetables: Stir in the chopped roasted red peppers and fresh spinach. Cook until the spinach has wilted and the sauce is heated through.
- Toss Pasta with Sauce: Add the cooked rigatoni to the sauce, tossing to evenly coat the pasta. Add reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce to your desired consistency.
- Serve: Divide the pasta into four servings, plating each portion. Top each with half a ball of burrata cheese for a creamy finish.
Notes
- Use sun-dried tomato oil instead of olive oil to enhance the tomato flavor.
- If burrata is unavailable, fresh mozzarella balls can be substituted.
- Reserve pasta water to adjust the sauce consistency as needed.
- For extra heat, increase red pepper flakes slightly.
- Chicken breast can be swapped with thigh meat for a juicier option.
- Light cream can be replaced with half-and-half for a lighter sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
