Spaghetti with Chicken and Grape Tomatoes, a pasta inspired by the abundance of tomatoes and basil in my garden this year.
Spaghetti with Chicken and Tomatoes
Each summer, I plant every variety of tomatoes, including grape tomatoes. Grape tomatoes are always the first to grow and ripen. Since I usually wind up with more than I can eat in salads, I like to create new recipes with them. Adding them to pasta is one of my favorite ways to cook them. This is also a great way to use chicken breasts in a flavorful way. Some other recipes with grape tomatoes you make like are Spiralized Zucchini and Grape Tomatoes, Angel Hair Pasta with Zucchini and Tomatoes, and Sheet Pan Shrimp with Broccolini and Tomatoes.
This tomato basil chicken pasta recipe is bursting with flavor and is pretty easy to make. When you use in-season produce, you don’t need many extra ingredients. The only ingredients in the sauce are the fresh tomatoes, sautéed with garlic and seasoned with salt and pepper. I top it with fresh basil at the end.
Are cherry tomatoes and grape tomatoes the same?
Cherry and grape tomatoes are similar bite-sized tomatoes, but they do have their differences. Grape tomatoes are oval like a grape with a thicker skin than cherry tomatoes. Cherry tomatoes are rounder like a cherry, juicier, and sweeter. You can easily switch out the grape tomatoes with cherry tomatoes if that’s what you have. Tomatoes are the best in the summer, so they’ll both be delicious in this chicken pasta.
Spaghetti Variations:
- Use shrimp instead of chicken breast.
- Add extra vegetables, like spinach, onions, or mushrooms.
- Sub cherry tomatoes for grape tomatoes.
- If you’d like some heat, season with red pepper flakes.
- Swap the spaghetti for angel hair or use zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash for a low-carb alternative.
More Spaghetti Recipes You’ll Love:
- Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs
- Spaghetti with Butternut Leek Parmesan Sauce
- Spaghetti Carbonara
- One Pot Spaghetti Puttanesca
- Meatball and Spaghetti Soup
Spaghetti with Sauteed Chicken and Grape Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 2 skinless chicken breast halves (1 lb), diced in 1 inch cubes
- cooking spray
- 1/2 tsp each of dried oregano and dried basil
- kosher salt and fresh pepper, to taste
- 8 oz spaghetti, gluten-free or whole wheat
- 2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
- 6 cloves garlic, smashed and coarsely chopped
- 4 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 4 tbsp chopped fresh basil
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
- Season chicken generously with salt, pepper, oregano and basil.
- Heat a large skillet on high heat. When hot, spray with oil and add chicken. Cook about 3-4 minutes, until no longer pink.
- Remove chicken and set aside.
- Add pasta and cook according to package directions. Reserve about 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.
- While pasta cooks, add olive oil to skillet on high heat.
- Add garlic and sauté until golden brown (do not burn). Add tomatoes, salt and pepper and reduce heat to medium-low. Sauté about 4-5 minutes.
- When pasta is drained, add pasta to tomatoes and toss well. If pasta seems too dry, add some of the reserved pasta water.
- Add fresh basil and chicken and toss well. Serve and top with good grated cheese.
